Guardian Carers Feature on BBC News London

How to hire a private carer

Find a Carer Near You

Contact us today and we will be in touch shortly with more information about our services. Or, call us on 0207 183 1395.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

How do I hire a private carer and what does an agency offer?

Private care essentially is supportive care provided within you or your loved one's household. Your private carer can assist you with almost anything from personal care and wellbeing to managing household chores or both. Having a private carer allows you to maintain your independence, freedom, and quality of life.

Hiring a private care agency, like Guardian Carers takes the stress and hassle of trying to resource a carer yourself. We will help find you or your loved one a private carer who best matches your needs and requirements as well as having similar hobbies and interests in common. Having someone who has similar attributes to you, allows for a stronger connection to be developed and for better care to be administered.

We will provide you with a list of private carers that are best matched to your interests and needs. We can give you interviewing tips and book interviews at times that work for you. Once you have chosen the carer you like the best, we can guide you through the paperwork and provide sample contracts. We can also set you up with our payroll service

Guardian Carers has been placing carers for 15 years, we will give you access to a range of qualified carers, starting from a minimum of 3 years experience and can offer skilled carers that have medical training.

Would I want to hire directly?

There are advantages and disadvantages to hiring direct. On one hand, it can be seen as more advantageous to employ your own carer as it would provide continuity, increased familiarity with your carer and you can almost count on finding a carer that has the relationship you are looking for. This may sound all well and good until you understand the strict legislation rules that apply to you as an employer, for example, considering the living wage, the issue with a maximum of 48 hours a week your carer may insist he or she can legally only be obliged to do. Also if your relationship with your carer breaks down and you want to terminate their contract, you will need to prove that dismissal is fair. You would also need to ensure you candidates have a DBS check, and personally check their verbal references to ensure they have the experience they say they have, which can be very time-consuming.

Private care near you

Guardian Carers offer flexible private care service in locations throughout the UK, including in and around London as well as some other counties within the UK. With our vast range of service locations, we can find you a carer that lives close to you to ensure they should never be late and can be there within a short period of time if needed. This allows you to stay in your home as your carer can be as flexible as you need to work around your schedule and needs. Your safety and security are behind the driving forces of what we do, we have an extensive vetting procedure to ensure your carer is a positive and seamless addition to your home.

Insurance for private carers

If you are hiring a carer that is self-employed, they will need to have their own insurance. Self-employed carers need to have Public Liability Insurance in place. It is important that the private carer you have hired has this insurance as there can be risks involved, whether that be helping a client move around their home or handling their medication. By having Public Liability Insurance will protect them in situations that involve personal injury, errors, accidents, abuse claims and other risks within the job role.

What is the job description for private carers and what is the cost associated with private carers?

Private care is the perfect option for you if do require daily care and assistance but you’re not quite ready to make the move to a care residence. Private care also takes the pressure off your loved ones, who while they are happy to help when and where they can, are most likely not equipped with the skills and experience that a private carer will offer.

Private care provides you with personalised, one on one care that is flexible to your everyday requirements. Private care ensures you are able to remain within your home, your community and maintain your schedule for as long as you wish. Living an independent life throughout your golden years.

Private carers are able to assist with a wide range of duties but mostly focus on your health and wellbeing. So while they will help with household chores their main duties will include things like medication management, assisting with physiotherapy exercises, taking you to appointments and liaising with doctors, mobility support, grooming and personal care. Private carers are also a source of emotional support and friendship so no matter what you’re going through, you’ll have someone standing by your side.

By having a private carer, you will have one on one care that is completely focused on you and malleable as your needs change.

Your private carer can assist you with almost everything such as:

  • making your favourite meals
  • organising and taking you to appointments
  • medication management
  • liaising with your doctors
  • personal care
  • mobility support
  • organising your laundry
  • helping with the hoovering
  • changing bed linen
  • ensuring your home is kept clean and organised

On average full-time private carers will make £12 to £15 an hour and part-time carers will make between £13 to £16 gross per hour, however, depending on your requirements there may be some flexibility with this. Guardian Carers are able to provide a comprehensive payroll service once you have found your perfect private carer.

Why you should choose Guardian Carers for your private carer search

Our years of experience within the industry has meant that our vetting procedure has been honed down to a fine art. When you use an agency like Guardian Carers you can rest assured that the private carer you are being presented with has had a thorough background check, verbal references have been verified by our consultants and their experience compliments your requirements perfectly.

Our consultants believe that your care should start the very moment you contact us, and will not stop once you have found your private carer that perfectly compliments your needs. Our consultants are always on hand to assist at any point during your search and even after you have found the carer for you.

Helping hand from the very beginning

Private care agencies such as Guardian Carers take the hassle of resourcing potential carers from you and will only present you with the best of the best that we meet. We bring them into the office for a face to face interview where their experience and qualifications are discussed at length and we are able to obtain verbal references which we then personally check ourselves.

All of our private carers will have the following:

  • First Aid and Safeguarding qualification
  • Enhanced DBS check
  • At least 3 years of experience
  • Any language requirements can be accommodated

From the very first call, your expert consultant will guide you through what your options are, what would suit your requirements most closely and put your mind to rest with any concerns you might have regarding your private carer search. Our consultants are also on hand to help and answer any questions you might have along the way, using an agency that specialises in private carers like Guardian Carers means you have a direct line to the experts. No matter what stage you are at with your private care search, our consultants are on hand to assist.

Working with experts from the very start

Our years of experience within the care industry means we know what it takes to be an exceptional private carer, which is why all the private home carers we work with are the best of the best that are available. We pride ourselves on providing a premium level of service and care for our clients because we expect the same from our carers. We maintain the highest standards and expect the best from our carers because we know you expect the best for yourself.

Here at Guardian Carers, we pride ourselves on being able to delicately align a premium, luxury service for an aspect of your life that is so personal.

So much so that 90% of the families we work with result in a happy, long term placement. Using an agency that specialises in private carers for your home like Guardian Carers means you can be sure you will receive support from every side, we will take the stress of finding a private carer from you and present you with private home care options that perfectly aligns with your care needs and your schedule.

We work with your family to find solutions, whatever your needs. To make perfect and seamless placements is Guardian Carers ethos. With Guardian Carers it is your care, your home, your way.

Book a consultation

Give us a call. We are ready to help. We believe we can find your perfect carer.