Practical HR support for small care, early years and frontline teams.
For owners and managers with up to 50 staff. I specialise in CQC and Ofsted regulated care and early years, and also work with cafés, cleaning firms, shops and security teams. Plain English, one person, prices on the page.
- Twenty minutes, by phone or video, whatever's easiest for you
- We talk through what's actually going on, no form to fill in first
- No hard sell. If I'm not the right fit, I'll say so
Something's come up with the team, and you want to get it right, not just get it done.
You don't need to know all the answers today. You just need the right next step.
I'd always rather help you avoid one. But when it happens, I'll support you through it properly. Full detail and pricing are on the Employee Relations page.
See Employee Relations Support →- A staff member's DBS check coming up for renewal, or a gap you've just spotted in your staff records
- A safeguarding concern raised by a family, resident, or parent, and wanting to be sure you handle it properly
- Someone who's been off sick for weeks, and you want to do right by them and stay inspection-ready
- A team member not quite meeting the standard your residents, children or customers deserve, and a conversation you've been putting off
- A manager you promoted from the floor who's great at the job but unsure how to handle a people issue
- A row over the rota, or someone's hours not matching what's in their contract
- Taking on your first carer, practitioner or front-of-house hire, or your tenth, and wanting their contract, induction and probation set up properly
- Contracts, policies and (in care or early years) safeguarding documentation that haven't been touched in years
- HR records that would actually hold up if anyone checked, whether that's CQC, Ofsted, the Home Office or a tribunal
- Rotas, staff turnover and contracts that no longer match the hours people actually work
- Right to work checks for a new cleaner, kitchen porter or support worker, done properly before day one
- Spending too much time untangling HR instead of running the business you set out to build
If your team is what your customers are really paying for, we'll probably work well together.
Solid foundations, so you and your team both feel confident.
The aim isn't more paperwork. It's a business where the people side runs reliably, so everyone knows where they stand and your time goes on the work you love.
- Contracts that match the hours and roles people actually work
- Policies written around how your business really runs
- Managers who know what they own and how to handle a people issue
- Records that hold up if anyone checks, from an inspector to a tribunal
- A proper welcome, induction and probation, so new starters settle in
- Knowing what's expected of them and how they're doing
- Concerns raised early and handled fairly, in house
- The same fair treatment, whoever their manager is
I build these with you and your managers, not just for you, so the confidence stays after I've gone. See how the packages work.
Three ways to get the right support.
Tell me what's going on and I'll help you find the right level of support. No pressure to buy more than you need.
Retainer prices are set by team size. The price you see is the price you pay: no VAT is added. See full package detail
Who I work with
Home care agencies, care homes, supported living, nurseries and childcare settings. I know what CQC and Ofsted expect to see in your staff records, so that's built in from the start. See HR support for care homes, home care and supported living or nurseries and early years. Inspection coming up? See my one-off inspection prep.
Hospitality and cafés, cleaning and facilities, retail, security, leisure and fitness, salons and clinics. Shifts, rotas, staff turnover and right to work checks bring the same pressures, and the same need to get the basics right. See outsourced HR for small businesses.
Small charities and CICs too, especially those running care, early years or community services with paid staff and volunteers side by side.
How HR-ready is your business? Get the free HR Foundations Checklist.
20 practical checks across hiring, onboarding, everyday management, and handling people leaving well, mapped to the four stages of growth, so you can see exactly where the gaps are.
- See exactly where your gaps are, in under 5 minutes
- Written for UK businesses with 1–50 employees
- Instant download, no obligation
Already submitted the form? .
Honest about who I'm best for.
No flannel. Here's a straight answer on where The Pocket HR fits well, and where it might not.
- One dedicated advisor, not a rotating call centre or account handover
- Specialist in care and early years, and at home in any business that runs on shifts, rotas and frontline teams
- Plain-English guidance, no legal jargon or scare tactics
- Flexible ways to work together, from a single £125 session to a monthly retainer
- A 20-minute discovery call before you commit to anything
- As a solo consultancy, support is by appointment, not a 24/7 call centre
- Not set up for on-site health & safety inspections or fire risk assessments
- Businesses over 50 employees may be better served by a bigger in-house team
- No built-in payroll software, though I can point you to the right tools
You'll deal with me, Arrun, every time. I'm CIPD Level 7, I work on my own, and I'd rather tell you that you don't need me than sell you something you don't.
If that still sounds like a good fit, the discovery call is the easiest way to find out for certain.
In a client's own words.
Arrun has been amazing, insightful and patient. He has helped me build out my HR policies for my Family Support Agency. He assisted in making sure we are fully legally compliant and making sure our policies are suitable for such a sensitive industry. Would highly recommend him!
Posted publicly on Google. Name withheld. Read my reviews on Google
Got an HR problem? Let's work through it.
Book a 20-minute discovery call. Tell me what's going on and I'll help you work out the right next step. No pressure, no obligation.