Thinking about a career as a carer? Explore careers in care

Why work in a caring profession?

Changing jobs or finding work for the first time can be daunting. However, care work is a worthwhile career if you have a passion for caring for others. Adult social care workers help clients manage their daily activities to maintain their desired level of independence. While challenging, this kind of job role is quite popular. You can gain the skills for care whilst making a real difference as you learn. There are also progression opportunities that come with learning in this career.

What is the best fit for you?

There are many types of care businesses and organisations to work for across the country. There's also a wide range of career pathways available.

Here are some examples of roles you could consider if you're looking to move into a caring profession: 

Domiciliary care (home care)

Depending on the person's needs, there are different types of domiciliary care, from respite to live-in care. Also known as home care, this type involves helping older people or those with disabilities or illnesses in their homes.¹

Care workers will be matched to people based on their skills and location and will help with their day-to-day living. Daily care visits, lasting up to an hour, could include tasks such as helping with housework, shopping or preparing food.

Types include:

• Companionship care: Carers can offer friendship to those who're lonely or could become lonely in the future.
• Personal care: Discreetly helping older people or those with illnesses with daily tasks such as washing, dressing and toileting.
• Nursing / medical care: Care workers will help with medical tasks such as dressing wounds, giving injections or medication.
• Live-in care workers: Supporting people coming out of hospital or families caring for a loved one at home.
• Respite care: Respite care is a temporary service for people needing help when they leave hospital (convalescent care). It also offers families caring for a loved one at home a much-needed break.
• Dementia care: Specially trained care workers enable those with dementia to live as independently as possible, while making sure the patient's dignity is adhered to. It's estimated that about 900,000 people have dementia in the UK, with the figure projected to rise to more than one million by 2025.²

Care homes

Staff at care homes assist residents, such as the elderly, who live there short-term for respite or permanently. Some care homes employ qualified nursing staff 24 hours a day, seven days a week, while others provide personal care with district nurses.³

Caring roles are also available at specialist homes, such as for people with dementia needing dedicated support.⁴

Others specialise in providing palliative care for those with a terminal illness, helping them to maintain their dignity in their final days.

Self-employed carers

You'd be wise to consider a self-employed career if you need to fit your working hours around your personal life. Being self-employed includes other advantages such as setting your own rates and choosing your own clients. If you're naturally understanding and patient, you work well under pressure and you're keen to help people, this work is very rewarding.⁵

Other jobs to consider

Care assistants, support workers and nursing home assistants are all jobs to consider. However, there are also many other roles:

• Hospices: Hospices offer various services such as rehabilitation, complementary therapies and psychological and social support.⁶ Caring hospice staff comfort terminally ill patients and their families when they need it the most. Trained staff can provide care and bereavement support as well as offer pain and symptom control.⁶
• Mental health service providers: Working in mental health care can make a positive difference to vulnerable people's lives.⁷ Roles include psychologists, psychiatrists, mental health nurses, social workers and pharmacists. Skilled staff may work on long-stay rehabilitation wards or secure wards, while others offer counselling or community support. There are also careers in many therapies, such as occupational therapy and drama, music or art therapies.
• Foster care agencies: Foster carers look after young people who cannot live with their birth families. You do not need any specific qualifications, but you'd be wise to take a college course to increase your understanding of the job and optimise your CV.⁸

How to get into this career

You can enter a caring role through a college course, apprenticeship, volunteering. Or, you may have experience of looking after a friend or relative. There are also opportunities to apply to become a carer directly on a care business's website.

The National Careers Service has more information.⁵

Sources

1. homecare.co.uk/advice/types-of-homecare
2. alzheimers.org.uk/how-many-people-have-dementia-uk
3. claritycareconsulting.co.uk/so-many-types-of-care-what-do-they-all-mean
4. caringhomes.org/types-of-care
5. nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/care-worker
6. hospiceuk.org/im-looking-hospice-care/what-services
7. england.nhs.uk/working-in-mental-health
8. nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/foster-carer