Live-in Care Practitioner
Hours: 54 hours per week (flexible)
The Company
We believe that it’s not where you are in life that matters, but who you have by your side. We offer respite to full-time caregivers while providing companionship and support to those they care for, encouraging individuals to live fulfilling and meaningful lives. We also support independent living for individuals without full-time caregivers.
Is Being a Live-in Care Practitioner Right for You?
This is an important question to ask yourself, and one you need to be sure of before you enter our recruitment process. If you are unsure, please learn more about being a support worker by reading through our site. You are welcome to contact us and meet a Live-in Care Practitioner or talk with the staff to gain a deeper understanding.
As a Live-in Care Practitioner, it is important to understand that you will support an individual in their home 24 hours a day (excluding breaks). It is a demanding full-time role that can be stressful but also extremely rewarding.
Every member of By Your Side Ltd.’s staff will be required to apply for and achieve a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
Personal Attributes of a Live-in Care Practitioner
You need to genuinely care for the welfare of others as if they were your own family. You should have compassion, respect, and a desire to help the individuals we support enjoy their lives, regardless of their condition.
You will need to have unconditional positive regard for the individual you will live with. Many of our Live-in Care Practitioners entered the field because they naturally have these attributes. When they go home for their rest weeks, they know they have made a positive impact on the individual’s life.
Often, you are the only social contact an individual may have, so it is important that you can rapidly build a trusting relationship with them and their families and friends. Trust comes from a confident and well-trained Care Practitioner, which we will provide; the rest comes from you.
We want our individuals and their family members and friends to feel they have a real shoulder to lean on. You need to have integrity and dedication to deliver the high expectations for the support individuals deserve. It is a lone working role, and you must be able to keep the individual’s household running while meeting all their support needs.
Your commitment to us, and to the individuals we support
When you commit to supporting an individual, you commit to their lives. Without you, some people may have their safety or dignity compromised. Some people are unable to do things for themselves and rely on you.
For individuals who live independently, you are often someone they become close with and rely on. You need to commit to being there for that individual and not let them down. They look forward to your return from leave and the time spent with you. You need to add value to their lives every time you meet them, offering support, friendship, and often their only contact with their communities.
Summary of the Role of a Live-in Care Practitioner
- The role of a Live-in Care Practitioner is to assist an individual mainly within the comfort of their own homes, occasionally taking them out into the community or to appointments.
- You will report to and communicate with the manager during your working week.
- The role is varied, but the best way to summarize it is that you would carry out tasks usually done by a relative or close friend, including running the home, shopping, etc.
- You will perform these duties in a trained, professional, and knowledgeable manner.
- You will be aware of the personal needs and requirements of the individual you support, communicating successfully not only with them but also with other important people in their life, such as family, friends, and healthcare professionals.
- You have the responsibility of alerting your manager to any changes or causes for concern regarding the individual’s condition and well-being.
- You will keep an accurate record of each day’s happenings.
- The support you provide will be unique to the person you are supporting and will vary from person to person.
Duties and Responsibilities
Personal Care
- Help with getting up and ready for the day or settling in for the night, washing, bathing, and toileting.
Practical Support
- Domestic tasks such as laundry, cleaning, tidying, shopping, preparing and cooking meals, and taking people out to the shops, doctors, or social events.
Medication Administration
- Administer medications for individuals, including varied forms and catheter and stoma care. This also includes reporting errors and medication concerns.
Specialised Care
- Support people with more complex needs, such as end-of-life care, acquired brain injury, or long-term conditions like dementia.
Emotional Support
- Provide emotional support and connection, which often makes the most significant difference to those receiving care.
Person Specification
Qualifications
- Completion of The Care Certificate.
- Willing to work towards QCF 2 within six months of employment.
Essential Attributes
- Genuine care, compassion, and respect for others.
- Ability to display empathy and warmth.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality.
- Good communication skills.
- Good planning skills.
- Good timekeeping.
- Ability to understand the role or have previous care experience.
- Ability to follow instructions.
- Own transport (depending on the area applied for).
- Flexible availability to match customer needs.
Key Competencies
- Attend all customer calls on time.
- Understand the importance of each home support visit.
- Cope professionally with emergencies and difficult situations.
- Communicate effectively with others.
- Maintain high standards of home support provision.
What We Offer Our Staff
We provide a fair, transparent, and supportive employment package that recognises the responsibility and importance of the care practitioner role.
Benefits of working with BYS include:
- Competitive rates of pay, reflecting skills, experience, and responsibility
- Performance recognition and reward schemes that value high-quality care delivery
- Flexible working patterns to support work–life balance and wellbeing
- Ongoing training, development, and clear opportunities for career progression
- Strong leadership, supervision, and day-to-day management support
- A positive, inclusive workplace culture that promotes dignity, respect, and teamwork
- An Outstanding Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated care provider
- An established and stable organisation with over 10 years’ experience in care provision
Staff Benefits and Support
All staff are supported through a comprehensive benefits package designed to promote wellbeing, retention, and high standards of care:
- Workplace pension scheme (The People’s Pension), subject to eligibility
- Mileage reimbursement at 45p per mile
- Paid travel time (from 1 April)
- Paid induction and mandatory training
- Ongoing learning and development opportunities
- Uniform provided
- Holiday pay
- Birthday recognition payments
- Loyalty bonuses awarded for each completed year of service
- Quarterly team and individual incentive schemes
- Access to wellbeing and employee support services
- Blue Light Card eligibility
Safer Recruitment Requirements
By Your Side is committed to safer recruitment practices in line with CQC requirements.
Please note:
- Applicants must hold a full UK driving licence
- We are unable to offer sponsorship
We will, however, consider applications from sponsored carers who already have a minimum of 20 hours per week available.
All offers of employment are subject to satisfactory pre-employment checks, including a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, references, and the right to work in the UK.