Progression Of Care Careers In Home Care
Are you considering a career in home care? With so many avenues to go down to qualify as a carer and start earning in this rewarding career, it can be difficult to know where to begin.
From our trained Care Professionals to our office roles we are taking a detailed look at the many roles you could get involved in when working in home care, the progression pathways available to you, and how to improve your earning potential with things like specialist care training and more.
At Home Instead, our aim is to help people age positively and in place by bringing expert care to their home. For nearly 20 years, we have been providing the highest standard of care, and creating industry-leading training programmes for our Care Professionals that are accredited by nursing and medical professionals. Today, we are the world’s largest global home care network, supporting over 100,000 older adults with personalised, tailored care at home. Whatever questions you have about our services and the roles we currently have available, we can help.
What is home care?
Home care is any type of care that takes place in a person’s home, instead of a hospital, assisted living facility, or care/nursing home. At Home Instead, we offer an important service that supports individuals who need a helping hand with daily activities, but do not want to (or are not yet ready to) move into a care home.
Home care offers the best of both worlds; expert care in the comfort and familiarity of an individual’s own house (or the house of a loved one), where they can continue to feel independent. Our highly trained Care Professionals visit ageing adults to help them with daily tasks like getting washed and dressed, meal preparation, specialist care and much more.
By providing this much-needed service, we are helping older people to remain at home for longer. This keeps families together, offers companionship to the 25% of 65+ year olds who are socially isolated, and ensures ageing adults receive the very best care in the place where they feel most comfortable.
A career in home care offers the opportunity to change people’s lives, whether that’s something as small as enabling them to stay with their beloved pet for longer, or as significant as providing palliative care in the home they have spent many happy years in.
Home Instead can offer you the perfect start to your care career, with industry leading training, support, mentorship and opportunities to make a real difference every day.
“I feel like part of a big family. I feel valued and that my welfare is a priority. I love being able to make a difference to my clients. It’s a great company to work for.”
– Jannette, Home Instead Care Professional
What training is available through Home Instead?
There are many training opportunities within the care sector and chances to increase your earning potential as a result. At Home Instead, we have partnered with the world’s best training organisations to offer advanced professional development opportunities that can open up a number of career pathways.
By starting with our exceptional training, you will build the foundations of a great career in care work that will give you the skills and confidence to continue developing as one of our trusted Care Professionals. Some features of our training include:
- Two Princess Royal Training Awards for our dementia training and end-of-life training
- City & Guilds assured
- Continual Professional Development certified
Partnered with Alzheimer’s Society and more
Why join Home Instead?
If you are considering a career in the care industry, there are many different ways you can train and become qualified as a carer. We believe Home Instead is one of the best organisations to kick-start your career, as we offer:
- The best resources and support for all carers at all stages of their career
- Workshops covering a range of topics, from general guidance on medication and manual handling, to safeguarding and basic life support
- Training on more specific subjects such as Parkinson’s, diabetes, catheter care, dementia, and end-of-life care
- A matching service to ensure you are paired with clients that you will enjoy working with, so your skills are utilised in the right place
- A mix of hands-on training and practical advice, so you get a combination of theory work, group discussions, role playing, practical competencies and more
- Virtual sessions and online modules with interactive activities and discussion opportunities
- The chance to work with external providers on training such as in-depth fire safety, PPE, and even unusual sessions like virtual reality care experiences
“I like working for Home Instead as I feel their values for home care far exceeds other care organisations. I feel valued and part of a great friendly approachable team. My clients have been matched well to me and I have built up good relationships with my clients and their families.”
– Louise, Home Instead Care Professional
What career progression is available with Home Instead?
Our teams are made up of our amazing Care Professionals and key players, including Schedulers, Managers, Recruiters and Trainers, all working together to ensure we deliver the very best care possible to our clients. The below offers some insight into the different careers available within our organisation, but if you have any questions we are more than happy to answer.
- Role: Care Professional
Experience needed: Whether you are new to care entirely or have never provided it in a professional capacity, we welcome people from all backgrounds and walks of life for their values, enthusiasm and empathy. Care experience is useful but not always necessary, as we provide full training to ensure you gain the necessary skills to provide care confidently and competently, so you can be proud of the high-quality care you deliver to your clients.
Day-to-day duties: You will see the same clients every week to ensure continuity of care, and will have a minimum 1-hour visit with them to enable you to build a relationship and routine. You could be responsible for a number of duties, including general companionship to give your client meaningful social interaction, home help for everyday activities like cooking and light housework, helping with personal care such as bathing and getting dressed, or providing specialist care if appropriate. Whether live-in, full-time or part-time, there are opportunities to suit you, and you can apply for a Care Professional role here.
Career progression: There are many opportunities with Home Instead to become further qualified in your field, allowing you to provide more specialist care or progress to a role as a Senior Care Professional. As you gain experience within the role as a Care Professional you will open yourself up to more opportunities within the Home Instead family, and could explore roles as a Scheduler, Field Care Supervisor, Client Experience Manager and more.
- Role: Scheduler
Experience needed: As a Scheduler, you would require experience of working in a scheduling role within a home care or other relevant environment, such as logistics. Also useful when applying for this role is a good working knowledge of IT systems, experience using Microsoft Office or Google Suite and CRM software, an ability to learn and adopt new technologies, a high level of resilience and positivity, communication skills, organisation and prioritisation skills, attention to detail, a logical and analytical mind, an ability to work calmly and accurately under pressure, and an ability to work as part of a team.
Day-to-day duties: Our Schedulers help ensure all clients receive the care they need when they need it. By using mindful coordination, you will ensure the needs of both our clients and Care Professionals are met by building schedules around their availability and more. You will liaise with team members, help match clients with the best Care Professionals for them, and keep in touch with the recruitment team to bring onboard necessary roles.
Career progression: As a Scheduler, you will report to the Client Experience Manager, so as your experience grows within this role there is potential for progression to a Client Experience Manager role if you feel this is right for you.
- Role: Client Experience Manager
Experience needed: As a Client Experience Manager, you will require a Level 3 NVQ in Health and Social Care or an equivalent qualification, as well as experience delivering a wide range of personal care services, experience working with MAR sheets and medication in a supervisory role, an understanding of Health and Social Care-related legislation and regulations, confidence in using care management technology and other programs, and a full driving licence and means of transport in order to visit clients.
Day-to-day duties: Our Client Experience Managers support and manage a team of Care Professionals as well as overseeing the standard of care provided to our clients. They oversee client care from the first consultation to the implementation and review of the personalised Care Plan. Your duties would include introducing the client to new Care Professionals, ensuring the team has the knowledge and training to provide high quality care, forming positive relationships with the client, their family and care team, carrying out new client consultations, assessments and creation of digital care plans, and more.
Career progression: As a Client Experience Manager you would report to the Head of Client Experience, so as you gain experience in the role of a Client Experience Manager, you could potentially progress to opportunities as the head of this department.
- Role: Office Admin Coordinator
Experience needed: An Office Admin Coordinator requires excellent IT skills, experience using Microsoft Office, Google Suite, and virtual communication platforms (and the ability to adopt new technologies quickly), experience of administration within a busy office environment, experience of supporting projects with a tight deadline, and strong organisational skills with the ability to prioritise and multitask.
Day-to-day duties: With offices in 230+ towns across the UK, we require administration to continue serving local communities with person-centred care. Our Office Admin Coordinators are often the first people a new client or team member will speak to, so you will be focused on creating a wonderful first impression, greeting office visitors, managing office administration, updating records and ensuring compliance with activity logs, coordinating meetings, providing basic IT support, and more.
Career progression: The Office Admin Coordinator is a multifaceted role helping many different arms of our organisation to function smoothly, so understanding and working with a number of different roles within Home Instead allows you to learn more about them and potentially progress to another area of the business that interests you.
- Role: Care Manager
Experience needed: Care Managers at Home Instead need a Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care and Children and Young People’s Services, or an equivalent qualification. We will also consider anyone willing to work towards this qualification. Extensive care experience is needed for this role, with proven experience in leading, training and managing a team. We look for people who can show achievement of business growth targets, have great understanding of compliance requirements of the Care Standards regulations, and who are passionate about taking on a broad role to develop care services.
Day-to-day duties: Care Managers are accountable for the management of day-to-day operations to run a high-quality care service compliant with all necessary regulations and legislation. The Care Manager will manage the process of client acquisition, conduct care plans and risk assessments, perform quality assurance visits with clients, ensure reports are forwarded to relevant bodies (e.g. CQC, Care Inspectorate and more), provide inspired leadership to the team and ensure workloads are managed to ensure safe staffing levels, provide support for other areas of the business like recruitment and training, and more.
Career progression: The Care Manager role is a broad role that has a huge impact on the overall structure of Home Instead. This vital role offers a number of progression opportunities due to its varied nature, so as you gain experience in this role you can explore opportunities in the areas of People Experience or Operation Management.
- Role: Learning & Development Trainer
Experience needed: A Learning & Development Trainer requires experience with preparing and delivering training programmes, good knowledge of health and social care, relevant training qualifications, excellent presentation and communication skills, and experience of Microsoft Office and Google Suite, databases and virtual communication platforms.
Day-to-day duties: As a Learning & Development Trainer you will support the personal and professional development of our Care Professionals through the delivery of training and educational materials, and continued support. You will help them become highly competent and confident Care Professionals who offer the best care to our clients, by delivering our Induction Training programme, providing initial support and ongoing training, completing on-the-job competency assessments, identifying any additional training needs, developing training and skills of the existing team, evaluating effectiveness of training, keeping compliance records up to date using the Learning Management System, and more.
Career progression: Our Learning & Development Trainers sit within the Recruitment arm of Home Instead, so there are potential opportunities to explore careers in Care Professional recruitment, as well as to progress to People Experience Manager.
- Role: Operations Manager
Experience needed: Operations Managers will need experience in the management of day-to-day operations in a fast moving, commercial business environment at a senior level, as well as experience of managing and motivating a team. You will also require an ability to engage effectively with a range of stakeholders, demonstrate experience of the development and implementation of effective and efficient office systems, and hold a strong commercial business awareness with experience of analysis of statistical data.
Day-to-day duties: Operations Managers ensure quality care of a high standard is received by our clients. You will recruit, train, manage and motivate a high performing team of Care Professionals and office staff, and take full responsibility for day-to-day operations to ensure maximum productivity, while devising strategy for the future growth of the business. As an Operations Manager, you will provide industry-leading quality and compliance with Franchise Standards, and regulations and legislation requirements.
Career progression: Operations Managers report to the General Manager, so as your experience grows with Home Instead you will find there are progression opportunities within the management sector of the business.
- Role: General Manager
Experience needed: General Managers at Home Instead are important roles within the organisation, and will require senior management experience of day-to-day operations within a fast-moving commercial business. You will also need a proven track record of business development, implementation of effective office systems, and managing budgets and analysis of statistical data. Experience of managing and motivating a team is important for this role, as is an ability to engage effectively with a range of stakeholders within the business and externally.
Day-to-day duties: A General Manager within Home Instead will coordinate and lead all activities in the office, from day-to-day operations to the growth and development of the business. You will ensure the provision of quality care in line with regulatory standards, provide leadership for the care team, build the Home Instead brand within the local community, recruit, train, manage and motivate a high performing team of Care Professionals and office staff, manage day-to-day operations to ensure maximum productivity, devise strategies for future growth, and ensure successful operation of all policies, processes, procedures and systems to implement a culture of best practice.
Career progression: The role of General Manager is a vital senior leadership role within the Home Instead team, and there are many learning and training opportunities. You will become an integral cog in the machine that ensures thousands of clients all over the country consistently receive the very best care.
At Home Instead, we also have roles within the areas of Finance, Recruitment, Community Engagement, Field Supervision, Business Development and more, so if you are interested in a role you have not read about here, we encourage you to get in touch with our friendly team to find out about all opportunities we have available.
What types of home care could I work in?
Our home care service aims to help older individuals retain independence and stay in familiar surroundings, so we pride ourselves on providing bespoke, completely personalised care for all clients by combining many different services. This means there are lots of areas you could get involved in, allowing you to shape your career according to your skills and goals.
We believe in continuity for both our clients and Care Professionals, so you will always visit the same clients each week, and will have a minimum one hour visit with everyone. This will give you the opportunity to build a strong relationship and routine that focuses on improving and supporting their quality of life and your wellbeing.
Studies show older adults who receive companionship see an improvement in symptoms of depression, anxiety, and feelings of being a burden on others, so as an experienced Care Professional you could provide companionship to improve their wellbeing.
Our Home Help services take care of general household tasks such as laundry, dusting, vacuuming, putting the bins out, ironing and feeding family pets. As a Care Professional, you would take the time to get to know how your client likes things to be, and take on housekeeping duties to make life easier for them.
Our Personal Care services ensure the necessary support for daily living such as bathing or dressing, and maintain a focus on preserving the client’s independence, routine and dignity as much as possible.
We want our clients to feel safe and supported at home no matter the time of day or night, so as a Care Professional you could provide tailored overnight care as a sleep-in service or a waking night service to help with nightly necessities like assistance reaching the bathroom.
Our experienced Care Professionals help clients access enjoyable activities like crafting, walking, playing games or listening to music. Whether that means a few hours or a full day of support, you will be matched with a client based on your personal interests and abilities.
Families of individuals who require constant care may find it hard to manage other life responsibilities, and struggle with feelings of guilt about leaving their loved one. However, there is evidence to suggest the benefits of respite care for everyone from carers to patients, and as a Care Professional you could provide care and companionship so family members can take much-needed breaks.
As a Care Professional offering specialist care, you could help manage the client’s health by liaising with healthcare teams about things like blood pressure, oxygen monitoring and much more.
Our Care Professionals reassure families of those with Alzheimer’s that their loved one is in safe hands, with everything from ad hoc companionship to live-in care solutions so they feel safe, calm, confident and comfortable at home.
As a Care Professional with training in dementia care, you could provide effective, compassionate and dignified dementia care at home so clients continue to feel calm, content and independent.
Our experienced Care Professionals support those going through cancer treatment with a range of adaptable care services. You could be working with clinical teams, ensuring clients get enough rest, cooking nutritious meals, providing emotional support and more to support them throughout their treatment.
We are official partners of Parkinson’s UK, and can provide support for clients and their loved ones so they can continue to live well at home. As a qualified specialist Care Professional you could provide flexible, personalised home care while working with community health teams and other medical professionals to support the client’s healthcare.
Neurological conditions such as Motor Neurone Disease (MND), Muscular Dystrophy (MD), Huntington’s disease, cerebral palsy and epilepsy can make life more challenging, so as a highly trained Care Professional, you could provide home visits and ongoing care services that evolve as an individual’s condition changes.
Many people with terminal illnesses prefer to remain in their own homes surrounded by the people that are most important to them, and studies have found palliative care at home to be associated with fewer hospitalisations than hospice stays. Our trusted specialist Care Professionals make a huge difference during this challenging time by providing personalised care that ensures clients can remain comfortable at home during the final months or years of their life.
As a Care Professional, you could deliver a tailored service to help people recuperate from illness or a hospital stay in the comfort of their own home in order to reduce stress as much as possible and encourage a speedy recovery.
Living with a condition which reduces mobility can be stressful and daunting, and can make everyday tasks more challenging. Our Care Professionals support individuals with mobility issues by helping with shopping, laundry, personal care, meal preparation and much more.
As a trained Care Professional, you could provide at-home nail care such as trimming, filing, cuticle maintenance, and even massages to keep painful foot conditions at bay.
As a trained Care Professional you could deliver short or long-term catheter care at home to reduce a client’s need to visit a clinic or hospital. Similarly, you could provide tailored support for stoma care, including application/removal of stoma bags, emptying of bags when required, ensuring the stoma remains free from infection, and more.
Post-operative or long-term conditions that involve wounds may need dressing and tending at home, and as a Care Professional, you could manage this by monitoring and caring for wounds to ensure healing, while identifying signs and symptoms of complications.
Our Care Professionals are trained to monitor and record vital signs at home such as body temperature, pulse rate, rate of respiration, oxygen saturation and blood pressure. You might liaise with clinical teams to ensure the client receives the appropriate care.
Diabetes treatments rely on routine and careful monitoring, so as a trained Care Professional you could help with the management of diabetes, such as checking blood sugar, administering insulin, helping to prepare healthy meals, and more.
Working alongside clinicians, our specialist Care Professionals are trained to deliver non-invasive ventilator care at home, supporting the independence and comfort of our clients.
As a specialist Care Professional, you could help take care of daily food and drink intake through feeding tube management, and assist with administering medication if required.
We are always on the lookout for aspiring Care Professionals who lead with kindness and compassion, and who understand our values and mission to deliver the highest standard of care possible. If you believe you could make a difference within our organisation and would like to grow your career with us, we would love to hear from you. You can find out more here and get in touch with us to discuss the roles we have available.
“I have worked with Home Instead for nearly 5 years and can honestly say it is the best place to work, every day is different, not only are the clients great but the business as a whole as you are treated as family. We have a great supportive team of carers and office staff and I look forward to work each day.”
– Arlene, Home Instead Senior Care Professional
We’re an award-winning home care provider and part of a worldwide organisation devoted to providing the highest-quality relationship-led care for older people in their own homes. Learn more about joining our team today, or see if the bigger step of becoming a franchisee could be right for you!