FAQs & sign up

What is Homecare Voices?

Homecare Voices is a not-for-profit, volunteer-run network of current and former homecare workers from across the UK. We are a registered Community Interest Company (C.I.C).

What's the objective?

We aim to effect improvements in the quality and availability of adult social care in the UK.

What do you do?

Our network is shaped by our members. We maintain a space for peer support, sign-posting, individual empowerment, collective advocacy, network-building and innovation.

What does being a member of Homecare Voices involve?

Members of Homecare Voices are able to connect with one another online, 24/7. This means we are great at supporting each other informally on a day-to-day basis. This could simply mean having others to chat with when you're waiting around between care visits. If you experience something you're not sure about at work, you can turn to Homecare Voices for a sounding board, provided you do not reveal identifiable information about clients, colleagues or your employer. We've got really good at pointing people in the right direction for official guidance and formal advice about all kinds of situations they're facing at work.

Through Homecare Voices, you will find out about ways to contribute your experiences in adult social care in ways that have the potential to effect real-world change. For example:

We were invited to contribute to the Independent Commission on Adult Social Care, attending a roundtable of sector leaders at the Cabinet Office.
Our members regularly participate in research studies which seek to improve some aspect of homecare (and for this, they are paid for their time!).
We ran a survey of over 511 homecare workers which allowed us to produce a major report about employment conditions in homecare.
You will get the chance to attend events where you can make brilliant connections for our network and your career whilst ensuring that actual homecare workers are involved in important conversations.

For those with a bit more time on their hands, being a member of Homecare Voices can mean so much more, since it is literally our members who run the show! We have issues to raise awareness of, relationships to build, ideas to explore, other members to support, a TikTok audience to engage with, a budget to make decisions about, bills to pay and quite literally a company to run! We encourage people to let us know if they have any skills, expertise or experience that may help our network, since for many, care work is not their first career.

Is Homecare Voices a trade union?

No. If you are currently employed as a homecare worker, join an established trade union like Unison or GMB. If an issue comes up at work that you need formal legal advice or workplace representation in respect of, you will only be able to access this support from a trade union if you are already a member, such that it is essential to join a trade union before you need them. Homecare Voices is not a registered trade union, nor do we offer formal legal advice or workplace representation to our members. This does not detract from our collective advocacy on behalf of current and former homecare workers, which seeks to raise awareness of issues based on the experiences of people in our network.

How are you funded?

Homecare Voices - originally known as Homecare Workers' Group - began as a voluntary initiative in 2023. In September 2024, we secured £20,000 in grant funding from The Rayne Foundation, followed by an additional £10,000 in September 2025. These start-up grants have enabled us to move forward as a volunteer-run network.

We encourage our members and supporters to give what they can. We apply for grant funding for specific projects where capacity allows and engage in paid partnerships where appropriate.

We collaborate keenly with other stakeholders across adult social care, though we respectfully refrain from accepting funding directly or otherwise from care providing companies and organisations that represent them. This maintains the integrity of our collective advocacy on behalf of current and former homecare workers.

Who leads Homecare Voices?

Homecare Voices was founded by Rachel Kelso who first became a homecare worker in 2018. Rachel is now one of many members who run our core operations on a voluntary basis. Rachel is a Director of the Community Interest Company which underpins Homecare Voices alongside two other voluntary non-executive directors, Dr Mark Wilberforce and Kamiah Overaa. We have an internal Advisory Board comprising four members of our network which meets once a quarter to inform strategic direction and decision-making.

Where can I sign up?

If you are employed as a homecare worker or you used to be and you'd like to play your part in Homecare Voices, complete the sign-up form via the button below.