Southampton homecare provider hopes to meet demand by expanding provision
THE GROWTH in demand for homecare this year post-pandemic has caused one charity offering domiciliary assistance in Southampton to expand its provision this autumn (September 2021).
SCA Care, which is part of Social Care in Action (SCiA) on Dukes Road, says it’s creating 50 new roles to help meet growing demand for the service it offers.
Ricky Rossiter, Director of Integrated Services at SCiA, says: “We’re well able to cope with the number of service users we already assist with our current wonderful team of carers. But since the various lockdowns this and last year, there has been a growing demand in Southampton from more people who need help to remain at home rather than going into a more institutional form of social care. We’re keen to provide the assistance and support they need, so are creating vacancies for 50 new carers.”
SCA Care unveiled its recruitment drive this week to link with the Homecare Association’s Celebrating Homecare campaign, run in conjunction with The Care Workers’ Charity, to celebrate the difference homecare makes to people’s lives.
Ricky continues: “I understand and know about the complexities of care as I had personal experience myself through my brother. It was this that made me seek a career in the sector. I started as a carer, then became a manager and worked through to the position I have now, so for those who wish to do the same, there’s a clear pathway with progression through to working for local authorities and the NHS. It’s one of the few industries left that offers job security and a role for life too. With a job like this, people with the right values can enter the industry and work their way up, like I did, and thrive. We offer all our staff access to industry-standard qualifications.
“With the furlough scheme now coming to an end, some sectors will understandably be struggling to keep staff on, and I understand the South East has one of the highest number of people still on furlough. Worryingly, people may be losing their jobs before Christmas and this will be devastating, but the good news is that we’re able to provide work immediately to those with transferable skills.
“We’re looking for kind, caring and reliable individuals to provide services across Southampton, so anyone who believes they have the right values and, therefore, are the right candidate for a position with us should get in touch. Obviously, home care requests increase as we enter the winter months too, so we do anticipate greater seasonal demand. However, our recruitment drive is based on expanding the service we offer and not plugging any shortfalls, as we have these covered already.”
SCA Care’s team has many valued team members and Shelley West helps care for one of them.
Shelley says: “I work in complex care and I very much enjoy my job. The pandemic has been a difficult time for everyone, but it made me realise that people like me have a huge impact on the lives of those we support.
“I find my work very fulfilling, and I am proud of what I do, and the difference carers make to the lives of the people we support. I’d encourage anyone looking for a role that really makes a difference, to apply for one of our new jobs at SCA Care.”
Ricky and his team want to hear from others like Shelley, who are considering making a career for themselves in the care industry and would like to find out more.
He says: “Being a carer is a highly skilled, professional, vocational occupation that is essential to the fabric of our society.”
New recruits at SCA Care are given their birthday off as a paid day’s leave, free uniforms, free training, PPE and all the equipment they need to make their calls. They also receive above average rates of pay, £10.50 plus per hour, as well as 28 days paid holiday, paid mileage and payment for any time someone spends travelling to and between calls.
Ricky adds: “No experience is necessary to become a carer, as we cover all the costs of DBS checks, training, and pay staff to attend training sessions. We offer new recruits an induction and on-boarding programme, as well as buddying-up with other experienced team members, and we train staff to an industry standard with all employees completing a Care Certificate. We also offer flexible working hours, both full and part-time, plus competitive wages and a generous holiday allocation, including giving an additional free day for a team member’s birthday.
“Joining us as a carer is a great opportunity for people to achieve a recognised qualification and they’ll also be able to access a career pathway, if they wish, through from carer to management. Plus, you’ll be joining a charity, not some large money-making machine, we’re strictly not-for-profit and care is at the heart of what we do.”
For further details, please call SCA Care on 023 8036 6666 or visit Domiciliary Care – Social Care in Action Group (sciagroup.co.uk).
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