HR support for home care agencies and supported living services.
For owners and registered managers of home care agencies and supported living services with up to 50 staff. Plain-English HR from one named adviser, with CQC expectations built in: safer recruitment, staff files, rotas, lone working and supervision for a team that's mostly out on the road.
- 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 urgent, like a safeguarding concern or a sudden gap in cover? Call me on 07387 082994.
What home care and supported living managers usually call me about
Your team works in other people's homes, often alone, across changing rotas. These are the people questions that come with that.
Right now
- Late cancellations leaving gaps in the rota, and you want to handle it fairly
- Questions about how travel time between calls is recorded and paid
- A care worker on variable hours asking for more guaranteed hours
- Supervision that's hard to fit in when staff are rarely in the office
- A support worker you have concerns about, and nobody else on shift to ask
Getting ahead of
- Contracts that match variable hours, calls and on-call as they really work
- A recruitment process that gathers everything CQC expects before someone's first call
- Lone working and safeguarding policies your carers actually know
- Field supervisors who feel confident running supervision and spot checks
What CQC expects to see in your staff files
Regulation 19 asks providers to employ fit and proper staff and to hold set information for each person, listed in Schedule 3. CQC says it covers agency and bank staff, volunteers and contractors too. It applies to home care and supported living just as it does to care homes.
| Record | What Schedule 3 asks for | How I help |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | Proof of identity, including a recent photograph. | A one-page checklist for the front of every file, so nothing is missed. |
| Criminal record checks | A criminal record certificate at the level the role requires, with barring information where it applies. | A tracker showing who was checked, when and at what level. |
| Past conduct and references | Evidence of conduct in previous health or social care work, and, where reasonably practicable, why previous work with vulnerable adults or children ended. | Reference requests that ask the questions CQC cares about. |
| Employment history | A full employment history, with a written explanation of any gaps. | Interview prompts that capture gaps on the day, signed and dated. |
| Qualifications | Documentary evidence of relevant qualifications, where reasonably practicable. | A training matrix matched to each role. |
| Health | Information about any health conditions that affect someone's ability to do the role, after reasonable adjustments. | A fair process for asking at the right point, and for recording adjustments. |
| Right to work | Separate from Schedule 3: Home Office right to work checks before employment starts. | Checks done and stored properly before day one. |
Sources: Schedule 3, Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 and CQC guidance on Regulation 19.
Supported living: what CQC regulates
In supported living, CQC regulates the personal care people receive, not the housing. Where the tenancy and the care are under separate agreements, CQC registers the care provider only. So the staff who provide personal care need the same recruitment checks and records as a home care agency.
Source: CQC service types. If you're unsure how your own service is registered, check with CQC.
How I can help your agency
Start small or have me in your corner every month. Every option starts with a free 20-minute call.
| Option | Who it suits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| CQC Inspection Prep | Agencies with an inspection coming up, a new registered manager, or files nobody has checked in a while. I visit your office, go through your staff files and records, and leave you a priority report and toolkit. | From £495, one-off |
| HR Advice Session | One situation on your mind, such as a disciplinary, an absence case or a rota dispute. | £125, 60 minutes |
| Rooted | Agencies that want an HR professional to check things with: contracts, policies, absence and probation. | From £245 a month |
| Flourishing | Growing agencies that want a monthly check-in, a quarterly people review and support with employee relations cases. | From £445 a month |
Retainer prices rise with team size. No VAT is added. Compare every option. Running a residential home? See HR support for care homes.
Already have an HR provider? Keep them.
Many agencies have a helpline they ring when something goes wrong. I do a different job: I sit with your actual files and your registered manager, and help you put things right before anyone asks. You're welcome to share my report with them.
You'll deal with me, Arrun Greaves, every time. I'm CIPD Level 7 and I run The Pocket HR myself. More about me.
"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!"
Questions home care and supported living providers ask
What HR support does a small home care agency need?
Usually three things: a recruitment process that gathers what CQC expects, contracts and policies that fit variable hours and lone working, and someone to check things with when a people issue comes up. Many agencies start with an advice session or inspection prep, then move to a monthly retainer.
Does CQC regulate supported living?
CQC regulates the personal care in supported living, not the accommodation. Where the tenancy and care are separate, it registers the care provider, so your care staff need the same Regulation 19 checks as any home care agency.
What staff records does CQC check for home care workers?
Under Regulation 19 and Schedule 3: proof of identity, criminal record checks at the right level, evidence of past conduct in care work, a full employment history with gaps explained, evidence of qualifications and relevant health information. The table above sets it out.
Do bank and agency staff count?
Yes. CQC's guidance says Regulation 19 covers agency and bank staff, volunteers and contractors as well as employees.
How much does HR support for a home care agency cost?
An advice session is £125, inspection prep starts at £495, and monthly retainers start at £245 depending on team size. No VAT is added, and the fee is agreed before I start.
Do you work with agencies outside London?
Yes, anywhere in the UK, on site or by video call. Travel outside London is agreed with you before I book anything.
Talk it through first.
Twenty minutes, no charge. Tell me about your agency and what's on your mind, and I'll tell you honestly what would help most.
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