Skip to content

Care Opportunities – Meet The Team

 

Ahmed

C.E.O

As the C.E.O. of Care Opportunities Ahmed Bawa is passionate about service users living life to the full. Ahmed founded the company in 2005, wanting to create an environment where Care Opportunities excel in the care of all service users. The approachable nature of the CEO and management team has helped to create a transparent environment in which the service users and staff thrive. The Care Opportunities philosophy is to offer our service users the choice, dignity, respect and opportunities that we would wish for our own family if they were receiving social care.

 

Dawn

Clinical Lead

Dr Dawn Thomas-Bawa is a Chartered Consultant Clinical Psychologist and member of the British Psychological Society. As Clinical Director for Care Opportunities, Dawn provides the clinical lead for the organisation, overseeing all clinical input to our residential care home and supported living services. Dawn carries out hands on work with service users as well as providing staff training and supervision to the Assistant Psychologists, Behavioural Specialist’s and Registered Managers. Dawn is also a trainer for the organisation advocating a proactive approach in all support provided.

Dawn has over thirty years of post-qualification experience in the assessment and treatment of people with psychological disorders, including intellectual disabilities, autistic spectrum disorder, mental health problems, neuropsychological difficulties as well as mentally disordered offenders. This has been developed through her extensive work within both the National Health Service and Private sector, in hospitals and in the community.

 

Jacob

Operations Director

Jacob graduated from the University of Lincoln with an Upper Second Class Bachelor of Science Honours Degree in Business Psychology. Whilst undertaking his studies, Jacob worked at Care Opportunities on a part-time basis during the holidays and gained valuable experience working alongside the Clinical team as well as supporting in all the homes.

This work experience gave Jacob an insight on how to support vulnerable adults with intellectual disabilities as well as gaining valuable and transferrable skills in a clinical environment which assisted with his studies. After graduating from University, Jacob joined Care Opportunities as a Business Executive on a full-time basis and supports the Clinical team as well as the Operations team.

 

Paul

Senior Behavioural Specialist

Paul works for Care Opportunities as a Behavioural Specialist, providing assessment and treatment services using a multi-element model. This enables Paul to establish non-aversive behavioural support plans for adults with learning disabilities, autistic spectrum disorders and mental health problems who present varying degrees of challenging behaviour. Paul has been involved in providing health care services within the NHS, Social Services and the private sector. Paul has also specialised in the provision of services for people with learning disabilities, both within hospital settings and in the community.

Paul is committed to providing the most advanced and highest possible quality services in support of people with challenging behaviour. His goal is to promote the best quality of life possible for adults with learning disabilities, by enabling them to live regular lives in natural settings with full, positive and valued community presence and participation.

 

Rhiannon

Registered Manager

Having grown up helping to support her two sisters who have intellectual disabilities, Rhiannon has always had a passion for caring for others. With close family members also working in the care sector for many years, it was a natural decision for Rhiannon to pursue a career in care to broaden her knowledge and understanding and continue to help others.

Following the completion of her college studies, Rhiannon joined Care Opportunities as a Support Worker working at our residential home, The Conifers. After receiving support from the Clinical and Management teams, Rhiannon developed her skills and knowledge and was promoted to Shift Leader at The Conifers.

After successfully completing her NVQ Level 3 in Health and Social Care, Rhiannon was promoted to Support Team Leader and moved to work in one of our supported living homes, Oak House, in Camberley. Following the successful transition into her new position, Rhiannon progressed quickly to Senior Support Team Leader where she ran two of the four supported living homes in Camberley as well as assisting the Registered Manager at that time. Due to her hard work, experience and dedication to her role and our service users, Rhiannon’s registration was granted by the CQC for her to become Registered Manager for our supported living homes.

 

 

Dallas

HR & Operations Manager

Dallas is the HR & Operations Manager at Care Opportunities, having been promoted from within the company. She holds an LLB in Legal Studies from the University of Reading and is currently studying for her CIPD Level 5 Associate Diploma in People Management.

In her role, Dallas manages all aspects of HR and operational support, including recruitment, employee relations, and training. Drawing on her experience in employment and community care law, she works closely with the leadership team to ensure regulatory compliance and maintain high standards across the service.

Dallas is particularly focused on aligning people management practices with the CQC Key Lines of Enquiry, supporting a safe, well-led, and inclusive environment for all colleagues and service users.

 

Aisha

Business Administrator

Aisha is the Business Administrator at Care Opportunities. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Medical Sciences from the University of Lancashire. During her studies, she volunteered at the Royal Preston Hospital, where she supported patients with dementia and elderly individuals. 

Aisha joined Care Opportunities in May 2025 and works closely with the HR and Operations Manager to ensure the smooth and efficient running of day-to-day business functions. 

 

 

Hrutuja

Full Stack Developer

Hrutuja is experienced in database design and management (both SQL and noSQL), API development, and machine learning. This skillset is required to streamline backend administration, thereby allowing the company to redirect resources to fund frontline care and clinical staff, ultimately improving service delivery and care outcomes.

Holding a Bachelor in Engineering Information Science and Technology and an MSc in Artificial Intelligence from the University of St Andrews, Hrutuja brings comprehensive expertise in full stack development, secure data handling, and cloud infrastructure.  Her MSc thesis explored application of cutting-edge generative AI in supporting education of children with intellectual disabilities, more specifically, generative AI is able to parse and analyse qualitative data of the type that is gathered by Care Opportunities. 

 

 

Beth

Assistant Psychologist

Beth graduated from Cardiff Metropolitan University with honours in Psychology, before going on to do an MSc in Cognitive Neuroscience at Swansea University and graduating with a distinction. During her studies, Beth gained practical experience supporting adults with mental health conditions in various settings. She has since continued this work, by providing social support and working closely with service users with Autism.

Alongside, Beth also volunteers for a campaign that facilitates the education and awareness of concussion in sport. Based on her academic knowledge and diverse experiences, she has been motivated to apply psychological knowledge into the field of care, leading her to purse a role as an Assistant Psychologist at Care Opportunities.

 

Devika

Assistant Psychologist

Devika is an Assistant Psychologist at Care Opportunities. She holds an honours degree in Psychology with English and an MSc in Psychological Approaches to Health from the University of Leeds, graduating with distinction. She has experience supporting individuals with complex mental health needs, neurodiversity and eating disorders, which has helped shape her current approach to person-centred, empathetic care.

Devika is committed to making meaningful contributions to service users wellbeing through the application of psychology. Alongside her professional work, Devika has volunteered with both crisis support and animal welfare charities, reflecting her broader commitment to having a positive impact on people’s lives

 
 
 

Amy

Assistant Psychologist

 

Amy graduated with honours from the University of Reading with a degree in Psychology with Philosophy. During her studies, she developed a strong understanding of autism through her final-year research project. Alongside her studies, Amy volunteered with a mental health crisis helpline.

Since graduating, Amy has gained over a year’s experience working with children with special educational needs, further developing her understanding of individual differences and person-centred support.

Drawing on her academic background and diverse practical experiences, Amy is passionate about using psychology to support people in care settings. This led her to pursue a role as an Assistant Psychologist at Care Opportunities, where she is dedicated to supporting individuals achieve meaningful outcomes.

 

Oonagh

Service Manager

Oonagh is the Service Manager at The Conifers in Basingstoke for Care Opportunities. She brings a number of years of clinical experience working with adults with learning disabilities, autism and complex mental health needs, and is dedicated to improving quality of life and delivering high-quality, person-centred care that makes a lasting difference.
 
In her role, Oonagh ensures the team is delivering care safely, effectively, and in line with best practice. She has a strong focus on positive outcomes and is committed to creating a supportive and inclusive environment where both the people supported and staff feel valued, empowered and respected. Her approach is further guided by her personal experience supporting family members, giving her a deeper understanding of compassionate, individualised care.
 
Oonagh is committed to supporting the service users to live their lives the way they want to, with the right support to promote independence, safety and wellbeing.
 
 
 

Linda

Assistant Manager

Linda has been part of the team since 2017, when she joined as a Support Worker. Through her hard work, commitment, and passion for supporting others, she progressed to Team Leader before stepping into her current role as Assistant Manager.
 
Linda really enjoys supporting both the people we care for and the staff team. She is always happy to offer advice, lend a helping hand, or work alongside colleagues to make sure everyone receives the best possible support.
 
She believes in continually developing her skills and has recently completed her Mental Health First Aider qualification, as well as a Level 3 Designated Safeguarding Person qualification. These achievements reflect her commitment to creating a safe, supportive, and positive environment for everyone.
 
Linda is passionate about making a difference and takes pride in seeing both the people we support and her colleagues grow in confidence and achieve their goals. Her friendly, approachable nature and wealth of experience make her a valued member of the management team.