To think carers are classed as unskilled but expected to be skilled when things go wrong.

That’s significantly more than minimum wage which a lot of carers are on or close to though.

I completely agree.

Seems insane to me that the individuals who care for the most vulnerable in society are paid the worst. Nursery workers too.

Due to voluntary redundancy and the demands of my aging DPs, I changed from a well paid professional career to a part time admin position at near enough minimum wage. But it’s vastly different from what I see the carers at DPs care home or when they were at home having to do. I get tea breaks, basic respect and I don’t have to handle others.
I have options because I have qualifications, am computer literate and speak English well. As far as I can see in the care home, apart from the odd member of staff who appears to have a vocational draw to caring, most are there because they would struggle to get a job elsewhere. Goodness knows where the ridiculous weekly fees go, but maybe it’s ratios they need to demonstrate rather than level of actual caring.

I feel sorry for the carers too, it’s a horrible job if you have not got a calling for it and aren’t well paid. My view is at the care home they could work with less people if they were more highly motivated and indeed better paid.

100% agree with this

Im also talking theoretically as I work in this field so am playing devils advocate to some degree, but if someone in a coffee shop cant be expected to really do their job, can be neglectful of customers, slouchy, mumbly, forgetful, not that interested and its put down to 'well they're only being paid MW so what do you expect' (which is a narrative I see all the time on here - why does the same not apply to carers?

They have different skills and are paid accordingly.

I think they should be paid more.

But low pay can’t be used as a defence if (and I’m talking generally, we’ve no idea what happened in that specific case) they are negligent.

Not where I work no, it's 95% LA funded. No one not even management is highly paid compared to other industries. I could personally get a lot more elsewhere but its a good bunch so I stay. Even the head honcho could get a lot more elsewhere. No one works here for the money.

This 'just pay them more' is really ignorant of market forces driving labour costs. Applies to most social/ tax funded jobs so see similar in schools, hospitals etc. Pay them more from where???

I agree Op, but in answer to answer to the pp who questioned what qualifications are needed ?

Patience, empathy, interest in your client; dexterity, stamina, strength- these are basic skills needed in a good carer.

What I have learned is that, that it’s really not a role for everyone - I could not do it .

It’s a job many of us wish to outsource , with good reason, but the value is not reflected in the wages.

Most LAs are 'commissioning' LAs which means they're not allowed to bring things back in house

Its what people voted for.

Even if it paid more, and there are massive structural barriers to that because of our dependency ratios, I suspect we'd see some improvement but probably not enough. It's just not a job most people want to do. That's the inherent nature of the work.

You're right. I had so much respect for the people who cared for bedbound DH in his final illness, but his care was already very expensive for those payjng. I just don't know where the money comes from to pay them properly (whether paid by the state or privately) If you can fix that, of course they should be better paid.

Yep this

All these threads blaming the carers for that man throwing the child in the zoo.

Yet anyone complaining about poor service in a coffee shop gets told 'well they're on MW so you cant expect much, why should they have pride in their job or go out of their way to bring you a serviette'

Yet all of a sudden, these MW (or thereabouts) carers are to blame for the actions of another person and should have stopped it?

I completely agree.

Caring for vulnerable people and the elderly is such an important job and yet it pays poverty wages which leads to difficulty recruiting and keeping good staff.

It is the same thing with people who work in childcare.

Until these roles pay a decent wage then we will continue to have issues with the care provided.

They should do, it’s obvious they’ve a lot of responsibility. Any care role, adults, special needs or children’s carer/ crèche worker has massive responsibilities. It’s not a job that anyone can do. It takes a special person to do the job they do, it’s about helping and earning, they know that they can earn as much in retail but many enjoy the work.

I don't think it is something that everyone has appreciated. Many of us on threads around this topic have seen poor practice by carers out and about and come across very dismissive attitudes.

Carers are not unskilled workers, they’re low paid workers, earning minimum wages or slightly above but not unskilled. There are levels of training too, they’re often beaten up, scratched, abused and no one cares as long as the client is okay. They’ve a huge responsibility and know it.

Yep. A world of difference between tried to intervene and didn't even notice as scrolling insta reels on phone.

It sounds like it's time to bring care provision back in house then
Presumably as it's such a loss maker the private owners will be mightily relieved to have these jokes taken off their hands

I don't know the answer to this so I am genuinely asking, what are the profits of care homes? Do the owners make a huge profit?

Agree with you OP. It's a very difficult job.