Many people are attracted to working in the care industry and for good reason. The wages for temporary care staff can reach £10 per hour; it’s rewarding as you spend your entire time helping others and its fun – how many other jobs will pay you to go to the cinema or the park? And, most of the time, you will work with people who are genuine, open and above all, caring.
But, it can also be hard work and it’s not for everyone. So, what makes a good agency care worker? Do you have the skills needed? What areas of work are available? How do you find the best agency for you?
Have you got what it takes?
Being an agency care worker is exciting and rewarding. It’s perfect if you want a job that is out in the community, offers lots of variety and is all about people. You will find yourself working with a huge range of different people, including children, toddlers, adults and the elderly. It’s a 24/7 job so care staff work all times of the day and night. It can be perfect for people who already have commitments such as a family, university or a job and need to earn extra cash but only when the hours suit them. So, for example you might only be able to cover waking nights or early mornings, don’t worry, most agencies will fit work in around your existing schedule so you can earn cash without impacting on your existing commitments.
The most important thing to have as a care worker is the ability to get on with lots of different people. Temporary care workers can work in a new place every day, although most places ask for you back if you are good, so you need to be able to adjust to new settings, learn fast and be flexible. One day you might be working with an aggressive child, the next cleaning out a kitchen. You need to have a certain degree of confidence as you will be in lots of different settings but don’t worry, most care staff are excellent at showing you the ropes. After a while, you will understand what is required and then you can start to work on your own initiative. But, do keep in mind the different policies and procedures in each home, and if you are unsure, ask.
Where can you work?
The range of places to work in care is almost endless. Whatever, type of person you are, the chances are there is a perfect care environment for you. We at Cornerstone always advise new care staff to work in lots of places and to do a few shifts in each to see what suits you best. You could work in:
- Residential – for children, adults or the elderly
- Respite – for children or adults
- Outreach – working with children or adults who live at home
- Escorts – picking and dropping children off to court or home
- Hospitals
- Schools
- Nurseries
- Hostels
- Domiciliary care – usually caring for the elderly in their own home, but can also be for children and adults
Shift patterns are wide and varied but usually split into early, late, sleep in and waking night. If your agency is busy they will be able to offer you the shifts that suit you and also the number of hours that you would like to work. The beauty of working on the agency, is that you get to pick and choose your hours and places of work. But, the downside is that you might not always get the amount of work that you need. If you are flexible and willing to work in lots of places then your agency will be able to help you meet your financial goals.
How to find the best care agency for you?
There are lots of different agencies across the UK and many provide specialist workers so the first thing to decide is your client – who is it that you would like to work with most? Most agencies specialise in children, adults or the elderly. The next question you need to ask is where you want to work as most agencies cover a specific geographical location.
If you are new to the care industry, then the most important thing to look for is an agency that provides lots of training. You should at the very least have two days of training before you start working for them and this should cover the basics:
- Fire prevention
- Manual handling
- Food hygiene
- Child and adult protection
- Health and safety
If you are working with children or adults that are, or can be aggressive you should also be given some form of behavioural management training, such as SKIPrUK or TEAM teach. At Cornerstone, we insist on two days induction training and also two days of TEAM teach training. You should also ask if the agency provides on going training. At Cornerstone, we have a huge range of training opportunities based on the needs of our client group so you can have Makaton, epilepsy, gastro-feed, autism awareness and offer NVQ 3 training to agency staff once they have completed a certain amount of shifts.
Your agency should also be able to offer you a helpline, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in case of any difficulties that you face and ideally the people that you talk to, should have experience of working on the agency. All agencies should insist on a CRB check and normally you are not asked to pay for these. They are not portable, so you need a new one for every agency you join. There can be delays in processing these so apply well in advance of your preferred start date, even up to six weeks before. Your agency should also offer regular supervision and a yearly appraisal so that you can air any problems, discuss your career options and ensure that you are on track. The most important thing that your agency should offer though, is regular work in a variety of settings. There are no guarantees with agency work, but a busy agency is always looking for new staff and will have plenty to offer you.
Working in care may not be for everyone, but for those who suit it, it can be the best, most rewarding career you could wish for. Best of luck with yours!!
Ends
Lisa Bundschu
Cornerstone Service Support Ltd.
38 Bond Street
Southampton
SO14 5QA
Tel: 02380 230474
Direct line: 02380 386630
Email: lisa@cornerstoneuk.org
