Do you use agency workers?

[rosemary]

For those that use agency workers, are you made aware if the people coming to your home are 'qualified' or do you assume agency has done all checks ?

[Eun]

They are sent out to our house while the checks are being done. The checks aren't up to much anyway - the fact they don't have a record could just mean that they haven't yet been caught.

[Guest]

I expect at least one of the workers, we require two on each visit, to be fully-trained and this is what is promised, we mainly get two fully trained; I also ensure that the agency worker is up to the standard required; the agency has a system where service users or their carers can ask for a worker not to visit if they are not happy with the standard or other aspects of his or her work.

[charles47]

Mike has 1:1 workers, who are trained up to work with him. Part of that training consists of doubling up with an experienced worker until they are capable of working alone with him. It's worked pretty well so far over the last 4 years.

[Pot of Tea]

Same as Charles here - shadowing an existing worker until able to take over the 1:1 support. And never work solo until the appropriate full agency medical training has been given. Police checks are done before they start work.

[charles47]

[quote]Same as Charles here - shadowing an existing worker until able to take over the 1]

We had one worker - never alone with Mike - who had not cleared CRB. He left suddenly and now the agency doesn't allow anyone to start without a cleared CRB.

[rosemary]

Would any of you employ someone privately, without CRB checks in place,without formal qualifications, as long as you thought they were best suited for the job?

[Myrtle]

It would depend on how well I knew the person I wanted to employ, which would probably mean they were a friend of long standing and then would friendship last in an employer/employee basis?

[Scally]

Would any of you employ someone privately, without CRB checks in place,without formal qualifications, as long as you thought they were best suited for the job?

Yes, agency workers are mostly dire: so we moved on to hiring staff ourselves. The last two teenaged workers I have employed privately have been just great, as was the lovely "rent a scottish granny" we employed a few years ago to help out in the home with FIL when he was getting wandered. Both the teenagers came recommended by my own children's school as exemplary pupils, and as for Rent A Scottish Gran, we didn't interview her, she interviewed us, and we are still firm friends and now are all part of each others extended families for life - her son in law is a pro photographer who employed my son as a model for a major shoot, so what goes around, comes around! But I also know this is a small town community where everyone networks. We don't need all that paperwork guff from Edinburgh or London.

[Pot of Tea]

In answer to Rosemary's question - no!