Does Radfield pay for mileage and time spent travelling between client visits?
Yes. All Radfield care staff are paid a tax free mileage allowance. In addition you also receive your usual rate of pay for all the time that you spend travelling between client homes.
Furthermore you will also accrue holiday entitlement and pay for all the time that you spend working and this includes the time that you spend travelling as well. Please compare these benefits carefully with other home care agencies and providers. Alongside being a
Living Wage Accredited Employer, our
Carers for CaringTM pledge and rates of pay, not all Care providers are created equal.
What sort of work do home carers do?
It’s all about caring for older people who still live in their own homes, supporting them in lots of ways. From taking them out and about, to doing the weekly shop, from medication support to personal and dementia care, it’s all very similar to what you’d expect to provide for your own family and loved ones.
I’ve never done care work before, do I need experience?
You don’t need any previous experience. If you’ve got some, that’s great, but we are always taking on people who are making the move into care as a profession for the first time. If you have compassion for others and empathy then that’s a great place to start. These are the qualities and attitudes that are important when we recruit. We can train you in all the rest.
Will I receive training to help me in the job?
We provide full training in order to prepare you for your role. You will undertake courses, shadow experienced Care Professionals and receive a structured programme of ongoing training. This ensures you will not only be able to provide the highest level of care to our clients, but also be supported and valued throughout your career with us.
I’m happy with providing companionship, but I’m not sure about the personal care side?
You’re not alone. In fact, this is something lots of people ask. It’s also a bit of a myth that this is all there is to care. Yes, washing and bathing, and other aspects of personal care, can sometimes be part of helping clients in their home. The truth is it’s often just one small element of a much wider range of help. Our Care Professionals very frequently split their time helping with tasks around the home, and offering companionship, which includes every aspect of simply being a friend. We encourage longer care visits to our clients to give you proper time to care. This also means you’ll not be moving quickly from client to client. More time means you can really get to know people and build a special relationship with them. We’re always looking for Care Professionals who enjoy spending time in people’s company, making memories and encouraging our clients to keep up their hobbies and interests.
What hours would I have to work?
Our clients need care throughout the day and night. Care Professionals can choose which hours that they wish to work, however, our busiest times are mornings, lunch and evenings so it is important to be available at some of these times.
Will I have to work at the weekend?
Our clients still need care at the weekends so we ask Carers / Care Professionals to be available to work alternate weekends. The amount of work that you wish to do at weekends is for you to agree with your manager.
Do I need to have my own transport?
You’ll need to be able to get to your appointments in a timely manner. Generally that means access to transport is required to travel between appointments at our clients’ homes. While we love bicycling, there’s often some distance between our clients’ homes, which means you might need access to a car or a motorbike/moped to get there on time. That said, in some locations it’s possible to use public transport or even walking to carry out visits.
Do I need to have a DBS check?
Yes, all of our care staff need to have an enhanced police check (DBS) to be able to work with our clients.
Do I have to pay for my DBS check?
We do ask our care staff to pay for their DBS check initially, and then we refund it to you in full after you’ve worked for us for a period of time.
Does being a Care Professional give me the opportunity to work outside and on my feet?
Some clients might choose to be in their homes more than others, but the idea of a Care Professional is to enable the client to achieve those things that they might not be able to do on their own and promote their independence and wellbeing. Sometimes clients might not want to leave the house due to anxiety, depression and lack of confidence and this is exactly where a Care Professional can help, as a friend assisting them to get out and about to their chosen venue; maybe to the hairdressers, a community group or a doctor’s appointment. Other clients might need some physical help to enable them to do a bit of gardening, or visit a garden centre or supermarket. Our Care Professionals are there to promote independence and wellbeing, it’s all part of the role. It might take a little bit of time, plenty of cups of tea and conversations to build up the confidence and trust of the client. After that, we encourage visits and outings as much as each individual client wants.
Would there ever be an opportunity to progress my career with Radfield?
Yes, there certainly would be. Radfield empowers all of its staff to develop further.
We have many examples of staff who have joined the Radfield care team, have shown the right attributes and qualities and have progressed very quickly to a supervisory role, followed by an office role as a care coordinator, field coordinator through to a care manager, managing the branch and care teams. Have a read of the many case studies on our website, with some great stories shared on career progression.
Can I take any additional qualifications?
We encourage all our Care Professionals to undergo further qualifications in care and additional training courses to enhance their skills and knowledge.
Will I have supervisions and appraisals?
Absolutely. We have a really clear programme of regular supervisions and appraisals that all members of our team receive to help them develop in their career...
What is the Care Certificate and will I have to do it?
The Care Certificate is something that all care workers have to complete before being allowed to work as a Care Professional. We can provide all of your training for this and support you through the Care Certificate.
How long does it take to complete the Care Certificate?
All Care Professionals working at Radfield will complete the Care Certificate during their first three months of work. The training provided by Radfield is more comprehensive that just the Care Certificate as we believe a more thorough training programme is needed to become an exceptional Care Professional.
What happens if I encounter a difficult situation outside of the office hours?
There is always someone you can speak to anytime of the day as we have an out of hours service available, where you can get advice and guidance as to what to do in a difficult or worrying situation. You’re never on your own!
What happens if I encounter a difficult situation when I’m on my own with a client?
This is a very natural concern for many people new to care. One thing you can be absolutely certain of is that when you’re a Radfield Care Professional you’re never alone. Our team culture, built on strong family values is a key part of what makes us so special. Everyone in the Radfield family shares the
same ethos and values and we are there to support and empower you throughout your care career journey.
What do I need to think about before contacting Radfield Home Care?
If you are at the early stages of thinking about a caring career or are just not sure if it would be right for you, the best thing to do is to pick up the phone and have a natter with one of our friendly team. They will be able to tell you more about what the role involves and whether it might be right for you. They may suggest that you pop into the office and have a chat to one of our Care Professionals so you can really get a feel for it.
A career in care is not always easy, it can be challenging and there will definitely be moments when it feels really tough. However, you will be in a hugely privileged position, you can be there for people when no one else is, you may become the only person they trust to help them through a really difficult time.
One thing that we can guarantee is that joining the Radfield community will never be boring. You will meet people from all walks of life, there will be lots of laughter, maybe a few tears and some great friendships made along the way!
Will I get paid more if I work at the weekend?
Working at the weekend is part of the role of a Care Professional as our clients need support every day. Your local office will be able to share their rates of pay with you.
You will be paid an enhancement for working on public and bank holidays.
Do I have to pay for my uniforms?
We provide all of our Care Professionals with super-smart branded Radfield tops to wear. You’ll need to provide plain black trousers and flat shoes to wear with it.
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