Are all 'care assistant' jobs a swizz?

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I'm looking into retraining as a speech and language therapist and I'm looking for related jobs that would give me relevant skills.

There seems to be a number of roles for care assistants eg for people with dementia, after stroke, or with brain injuries.

However I've heard so much about the horrors of care work; not being paid for travel or not having enough time to travel between appointments and so on. Are any of them real, decent jobs or is it all a bit of a con?

Community care work can be a bit like that. How about a care assistant role in a care home?

I worked in home care as experience be gite applying for an HCP related degree. I was part time and asked only for hours during school hours (had time work every 2nd weekend too). It was not an enjoyable job to be honest and you don't get paid travelling time (did get small amount of petrol money). The company tried to space visits out accordingly. I think home care companies vary hugely in how well they treat staff to be honest and the training is totally inadequate, especially for dementia.

If you can look at 'reablement assistant' type jobs that are 'in-house' i.e. run by the local authority, rather than for a private agency that has to try and win contracts by being as cheap as possible, you should get a better deal. Look up reablement - it's about providing people with care at home for a limited period focusing on helping them regain as much independence as possible after a hospital admission, stroke, or other change in need of circumstance. Local authorities tend to provide this to people for up to 6 weeks or so, fre of charge, before arranging ongoing care with an agency if needed.

And in my experience because you're working directly for the council, you tend to get better pay and conditions.

I've previously worked in care for a variety of different employers, agency, private and council and have been treated like an indispensable piece of rubbish by them all.
They will trip over themselves to get you to cover shifts but won't think twice about giving your shifts to 'favoured workers'. I had a contract with my local council which was fine as long as they were still recruiting - the minute they employed enough staff I was told if I couldn't do the shift pattern they wouldn't renew my contract. When I fell at work a short time after I lost my contract - fracturing 4 of my toes they just replaced me.
None of my experiences have been good.
I have an email from my last manager saying I'd scored in the top 5% on all my training for the 3 years I was with them, I was often asked for with clients who I did ad hoc for yet I was treated like rubbish. If you don't have kids or they are all self sufficient (you don't need to be there for school runs etc) then it could work as you will be able to be at their bec and call. But if you have a family it's difficult to get regular work and they will think nothing of taking shifts away from you, not paying you the right amount etc

Don't bother doing home care, it's a blooming nightmare! I'd go for a care home setting, no messing about with what you're paid / not paid for. Your shift starts when you arrive and you get paid til you leave, much easier

I work for Carers Trust. We employ Carer support workers and they are trained well, paid living wage and travel time is factored in to all calls. I imagine there are lots of other organisations like ours, for every band company there will be a good one.

Are you aware how long it takes to train as a S&L therapist?

I have done some work as a TA. You could look out for work in a Special School. A lot of kids sign in Makaton and you could learn it too.

I run a care recruitment agency we seems to find people are more interested in working in a Care Home rather than Home Care, Some times is good to let an agency help you to find a job because they work with more that one organisation and can give you choices you can check out some of the Care Assistant Jobs on our website click here www.aplusrecruit.com

Eulet Thomas
Aplus Recruit

Look on your local county council jobs site. I have advertised there in past fir carer or support worker for ds who is autistic. Probably quite good experience for trainee salt. Another good option would be aba tutor for a family doing a home programme.