Working for care agencies - Is now a good time to change jobs?

[Dallidalli]

Hi there,
I want to look for new work opportunities with an agency as the pay seems to be better and I need more flexible shift patterns for care reasons.
I am currently a full time support worker and have experience supporting and caring for people with mental illness and physical disabilities for over 4 years
Got my DBS check, SVQ 2 and moving & handling training and other training.

My questions for people who are working for agencies:

1. Have the demand for shift cover increased and are you getting the hours you need?

2. Which agencies do you recommend working for?

3. Does your agency still want you to work weekends? (Whole reason for me changing jobs is because I can't work weekends anymore)

4. What's your hourly rate atm?

I believe now would be a good time to do agency work as there is generally staff shortage in social care and with NHS staff going on strikes.

I am just scared to leave stable employment in a time of uncertainty, looking for people's experiences and reassurance! Thank you 🥰

Have you considered joining as NHS Bank staff? The trust I work in there are shifts available everyday and you choose your own hours and can also join the pension scheme if you wanted to. The pay for healthcare assistant is band 3.

Yes I am considering it. The only downer is, it would pay slightly less than what I earn now if I start at entry point? It's the flexible hours I need tho

Have you considered going self employed and doing it that way? The advantages of working for myself over working for an agency mean I will never go back to being employed now.

I earn more
I am in control of my schedule
I work with clients I enjoy working with
I can say no to things that don't work for me.

Yeah I think the bottom of a band 3 is approximately £11.11 going up to £11.85 per hour base rate then enhanced rate for nights and weekends. I've done both agency care and NHS and personally the NHS has been more secure and worked better for me due to the flexibility and no shortage of available shifts. ☺️

How did you get started being self employed as social care staff? And finding clients? I would be worried of going for long periods without an income but I suppose same goes for agency work.

How did you find managing your shifts? Did you check daily or on certain days?
I pretty much have my own client workload but the long term supports are put in a rota.
I believe we are currently at £11.75 on the hour.
I don't think they would start me off on the highest rate to begin with? Even with experience and qualifications?

@Dallidalli
You need insurance and a DBS.
Insurance from surewise is around £13 per month for their highest cover. This is who I use. I also subscribe to the automatic DBS scheme for £13 a year.

I advertise of Facebook, on local notice boards and am on the councils carer website pinpoint. Once you get established word of mouth is huge too.
Make yourself known to social services too.

I do go through the odd leaner period. But in the whole there is a decent number of people looking for care and a shortage of carers. Lots of people will value the consistency of having the same person over an agency where they could get anyone.

Man in real terms it's really a difference by peanuts isn't it 🙈 Just so fed up with current work arrangements

For me the difference has been huge. On average I being in between £500-£600 a week gross. Which is probably double what I would get working for an agency

When I was bank only I would book my shifts the week beforehand but you could literally book into shifts on the day, the particular division I work in doesn't use agency so there are always shifts available.
Even in areas of the trust that use agency there are daily bank shifts available, bank staff are given priority over agency.
You do normally start at the bottom of the band and it takes 2 years to progress to the top, in my trust you have to work so many hours in a year in order to progress but it's not loads.
Overall the enhancements and pension contributions made it better for me to be in the NHS than private.

Would that be a public liability insurance?
I didn't know you can advertise on the council website that's good to know thanks!
How did you set your rates?
It's sounds you found your groove well done! Not against self employment I believe I am just anxious about what it involves as it's completely newland to me.

In terms of agencies has anyone ever worked for Newcross? I worked with someone from there at my current employer years ago and she was really good and on the ball jobwise. Wondering if that's a good company?

Pricing is an ongoing process. I make sure I am alway well below agency prices but earn enough to pay my bills. Initially I started low and have gradually increased my prices as new clients have come aboard. But I make sure I'm earning what I think I deserve.
I currently charge £20 an hour or £15 a half hour.