Fozia Hussain: Carers Adviser

Fozia is a Carers Adviser for North Oxfordshire, focusing on supporting unpaid carers in and around Banbury — her home and community. With a deep personal connection to caring, Fozia brings firsthand experience, empathy, and a wealth of knowledge to her role, helping carers navigate the challenges they face every day.

Fozia shares her story below:

“I first joined Carers Oxfordshire in 2018 as a community outreach worker, supporting carers across the region. After taking a career break to travel in 2021, I returned in May 2024 and now work as a Carer Adviser in North Oxfordshire, focusing on Banbury—my home and a community I know well.

“Caring has always been part of my life. As a child, I supported my parents—who didn’t speak English—while we cared for my brother, who had MS. I helped with everything from translating to managing the household.

“Later, I cared for my mum during cancer treatment, and I’m now a parent carer too—my eldest is autistic. So I understand caring from several perspectives.

Before this, I spent 14 years in education, mainly as a teaching assistant for children with special needs and those facing language barriers. I also taught adults and have always been drawn to community-focused work. That background has shaped the way I support carers today.

I feel especially connected to parent carers—I’ve been in their shoes. I know how isolating it can feel, and I love being able to share what I’ve learned to help others feel less alone. I also speak Urdu and Arabic, which has really helped me connect with carers who might otherwise struggle to access support due to language barriers.

“What I enjoy most is just being there for people. Sometimes a carer needs someone to listen, someone who really gets it. I often check in with carers who are isolated—sometimes just having a chat can make a big difference.

“The one thing I always say is: there’s no such thing as a silly question. If you don’t ask, you don’t know. There’s more support out there than people realise—and I want to help carers find it.

“At the heart of it, I just want to support as many people as I can. That’s what drives me every day.”

Fozia works Wednesday to Friday.