Home carers provide personal care, befriending and social support to clients living in their own homes.

The Work

You could be:

• helping older people, people with disabilities or people who are ill, to be as independent as possible
• listening to your clients’ concerns and discussing their worries
• helping them keep in touch with their families and friends
• helping them wash, dress and go to the toilet
• doing household jobs like laundry, ironing, changing beds, cooking and cleaning
• going shopping, perhaps paying bills and collecting benefits or pension for your clients
• keeping records of each visit
• reporting any change in your clients’ health or situation to your supervisor.

Pay

The figures below are only a guide. Actual pay rates may vary, depending on:

• where you work
• the size of the company or organisation you work for
• the demand for the job.

Salaries for home carers in Scotland is usually between £14,000 and £18,000 a year. Pay varies depending on the local authority you work for.

Conditions

• You would travel to people’s homes.
• You may work in a team or alone without supervision.
• As you provide personal care, the work is sometimes messy and unpleasant.
• You might work shifts, to provide support at different times of the day and night.
• You may visit a client several times a day, or several clients within the one day, each visit being quite short.
• You may sometimes stay overnight with a client or possibly live-in for some time.
• You will probably have to work some evenings and weekends.
• Part time work is common.

Useful Subjects

• Care

Getting In

• You do not always need formal qualifications but some employers ask for some subjects at National 4 or 5.
• In some areas you may be able to get in through a Modern Apprenticeship in Social Services and Healthcare.
• You must be fit, as you may have to lift, bathe and help older or disabled people to move about.
• Many jobs require you to have a driving licence, and in some cases, provide your own transport.
• You will require a satisfactory PVG (Protecting Vulnerable Groups) check to show that you are suitable for this type of work. Contact Disclosure Scotland for details.

Most home carers work for a local authority but you can also work for private home help agencies.

Vacancies are advertised on the official recruitment website for local government in Scotland: MyJobScotland.

What Does it Take?

You should be:

• honest, reliable and punctual
• caring and understanding
• friendly, cheerful, patient and tolerant
• a good listener
• positive, flexible and adaptable
• willing to help people unable to care for themselves
• willing to help clients to be independent
• responsible and willing to use your initiative when working alone
• practical and sensible.

Training

• Training is normally on the job.
• You would be expected to undertake the SVQ in Social Services and Healthcare at Level 2 or Level 3 (SCQF Level 6 or 7) within two or three years of starting.
• This allows you to register with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC). See the SSSC website for more details about registering as a home carer.
• You may have to do specialist training courses depending on the needs of the client group you are working with.
• You will need to do short courses to keep up to date with new laws affecting home care workers.

Getting On

• With experience and further skills, you may move on to be a supervisor.
• You may then be able to become a Care Manager or more senior manager.
• You could go on to take further qualifications to become a Social Worker.

Contacts

The following organisations may be able to provide further information.