Casey Commission

In November, two members of Homecare Voices will join a roundtable of leaders from the adult social care sector to formally give evidence as part of the Casey Commission.

On behalf of the UK government, the Commission team is carrying out a review of the entire adult social care system. Based on what it finds out, the Commission will then make recommendations to the government about ways to improve things for people who need social care as well as for people who work in social care.

This is an unprecedented opportunity for homecare workers to feed our views into a process that has the potential to make a major difference to our lives in years to come.

We want to make sure as many current and former homecare workers as possible have the chance to feed in their thoughts, so we have come up with this anonymous survey 👇

Please share the survey with as many of your colleagues as possible so they get a chance to do it, too 😊

Homecare Voices is a free-to-join, not-for-profit peer support network and advocacy body run by and for homecare workers throughout the UK. You are very welcome to join us by signing up on our homepage!

Survey

Which of the following applies to you?

I am currently employed as a homecare worker who provides care and support for people in their own homes

I used to be employed as a homecare worker

When answering the following questions, please think about your time in employment as a homecare worker. Feel free to refer to your experiences at your current homecare employer or at a former homecare employer.

People you support

In your experienced opinion, how many of the people you support have care visits that are long enough and regular enough to meet their practical and social needs?

If you and your colleagues regularly spend longer at a particular care visit than is scheduled, how confident do you feel that the visit will be extended within 1 month if you inform your managers of the situation?

Thinking about the people you support, what (if anything) do you think needs to change to improve the lives of people who rely on social care?

Work-life balance

Roughly how long does the journey from your house to the furthest away client you visit take?

If you walk or take public transport to travel from visit to visit, are clients located close enough together to make this manageable in the long-term?

(Simply skip the above question if it's not applicable to you)

How many days in advance of a new rota starting do you receive that rota? E.g. If your rota is published on a Friday to begin the following Monday, the answer is 3 days (Friday + Saturday + Sunday) so select 2-3 days.

Are you expected to use your personal phone for work?

Yes

How often do you receive work-related messages or notifications to your personal phone when you are not working?

Do you get at least 11 hours’ rest between one working day finishing and the next working day starting?

Travel expenses

If you use your own vehicle for work, how much are you paid for each mile you travel?

(Simply skip the above question if it's not applicable to you)

If you use your own vehicle for work, how confident do you feel in your ability to pay for insurance, road tax, servicing and any repair bills should they arise?

(Simply skip the above question if it's not applicable to you)

If you take public transport to travel between visits, does your employer pay you back for these tickets?

Yes

I don't know

(Simply skip the above question if it's not applicable to you)

Payment for working time

Did you know that gaps of up to 60 minutes between care visits count as payable working time?

Yes, I did know that

No, I did not know that

I’m not sure

Whether a driver or a non-driver, are you paid for your gaps between care visits?

No, I am only paid for the time I spend at client visits

I am paid for the time it takes to travel from one client’s house to the next

I am paid for gaps of up to 30 minutes between visits

I am paid for gaps of up to 60 minutes between visits

I’m not sure

Do you get paid for all of the time you spend doing training?

Yes, I get paid for all of the time I spend doing training whether it is scheduled into my rota or completed in my own time

No, I'm only paid for time spent training if it is scheduled into my rota. Any training completed in my own time is unpaid

No, I’m not paid for any time spent doing training

I’m not sure

Income level and security

How confident do you feel that when a rota is published you will have been given the hours you need?

How confident do you feel about saying ‘no’ when asked to pick up extra work?

Health & Care Worker Visa

If on a Health & Care Worker Visa, have you felt the need to seek additional employment of up to 20 hours a week from another employer, due to a lack of sufficient work from your sponsor?

Yes I have sought additional work of up to 20 hours to make up for a lack of sufficient work from my sponsor

I wanted to seek additional work for this reason but my sponsor prevented me from doing so

No, my sponsor provides me with sufficient working hours to meet the minimum salary threshold

(Simply skip the above question if it's not applicable to you)

If you are on a Health and Care Worker visa and in need of a sponsor switch, roughly how many employers have you approached unsuccessfully about a switch so far?

(Simply skip the above question if it's not applicable to you)

For Health & Care Worker Visa holders: have you or anyone you know been successfully matched with a new sponsor with the support of a Regional Partnership aka International Recruitment Hub?

Yes, I have

Yes, someone I know has

No, I don't know anybody who has secured a sponsorship with the support of a Regional Partnership

I don't know what a Regional Partnership is

(Simply skip the above question if it's not applicable to you)

Other

What do you like about being a homecare worker?

If you had help to find clients and access to ongoing training, support and advice, how likely is it that you would consider becoming a self-employed Personal Assistant for people in your neighbourhood?

If you left a role in homecare within the past 3 years, what were your reasons for moving on?

What do you think would encourage more people to stay on as homecare workers long-term?

If there is anything else you would like to share, feel free to do so here

The best way to hear about what happens at the meeting and to find out the full results of the survey is to sign up to Homecare Voices via our homepage. Totally free, always.