A KEEN football fan who works for a Corwen-based company has transformed the life of a youngster in his care after sharing his love of the game.

As a result, Daniel Squire has been shortlisted for one of this year’s Wales Care Awards, organised by Care Forum Wales, which recognise outstanding work in the care sector.

The awards will be presented at a glittering ceremony at City Hall, Cardiff, on October 18, and Daniel, 33, has been nominated in the category for residential care practitioners.

Daniel is a team leader with Branas Isaf in Corwen, which is part of the CareTech group that provides care and support for children and young adults.

He works at Dewis, one of the organisation’s homes in Bala, which accommodates four young men aged 15-17 with challenging behaviour.

He has worked in the care sector for seven years, five of them with Wrexham County Borough Council’s social services department where he cared for children with complex problems.

Daniel joined Branas Isaf in 2018 and took to the job immediately, impressing his superiors and, more importantly, making an impact on the lives of the youngsters.

He was nominated for the award by Laura Hughes, a home manager with Branas, who said that in the short time he had been there, his support and commitment for her had been invaluable.

Daniel said he derived great satisfaction from observing the development and rehabilitation of the youngsters whom he supports..

“It can be very challenging work but I feel strongly that young people, some of whom have not had the best start in life, deserve the best chance possible and it’s very rewarding to see the progress they make,” he said.

A father-of-two, Daniel has long been a football fan and both he and his younger son Hari, aged five, are season ticket holders at The Racecourse.

One of the Dewis residents who had difficulty in social interaction was felt to need a boost to his self-confidence and the only thing which sparked his interest was football.

Daniel managed to find a local inclusion team which catered for young men of his age and needs and arranged for him to attend a training sessions.