Find care and support
Our ability to connect you with somebody wonderful depends on where you live and what you want.
We are currently offering support in Calderdale in West Yorkshire. It's a lovely part of the world. We'll be working in other local authority areas as we grow.
frequently asked questions
How does it work?
Once we hear from you, we will give you a call or use your preferred communication method to understand your situation in more detail and let you know whether or not we'll be able to support you. We'll then arrange a visit from one of our Equal Care Facilitators. They'll meet with you and anyone else you'd like to be present to have a conversation - they'll ask about what you'd like from the support and what's important to you. You'll find out about the care and support workers available and we'll tell you about any volunteer support we're able to connect you with too.
What's a Team?
Equal Care Teams are special. The person getting support is the person who owns (and in many cases, leads) their Team. It is up to them who is in the team and what team members can do. It's their team, so family members, friends, neighbours, health and social care professionals, other agency staff and so on can join if that person would like this! If they are too unwell to get very involved or would prefer not to for any reason, they can choose a family member or friend or an existing member of their team to help them. Every team has a facilitator to support them with problem-solving and checking in to see how things are going.
Why are you different?
We are a co-operative, owned by the people who give and receive support. We are using technology to ensure much more of the hourly rate can go direct to workers rather than the 50% that's usual for care agencies. Receiving care and support all the time can actually make people more unwell, so we help the people getting support to share their skills, experience and kindness with others who will benefit. By working in Teams owned by the person getting support, this creates resilient, committed, consistent support. This is a far cry from being placed at the mercy of ever-changing rotas. People get to know one another, likes, dislikes, what works, what doesn't. It is a truly lovely experience to choose and build your own Team :)
How much does it cost and how much do you pay your support workers?
Our rates vary from £14 an hour to £18, depending on the rates charged by your care and support worker. Everyone offering support through us is (currently) doing so as an independent worker. In order to run the platform and ensure we are curating trusted offers of support, we ask for a co-operative contribution of 15% of every hour of support paid for and a contribution from workers of 5% of their fee. This is much, much lower than traditional agencies (typically 50%). Workers tend to get between £12-£15 per hour. Because the fee is a contribution to enable the co-op to sustain itself, not an exercise in maximising profit, we shall be reducing it as we grow.
Do I have to join the co-operative in order to get support?
No, joining the co-operative as a Member is entirely voluntary and you are not restricted from getting support if you choose not to become a Member. You can find out more about membership here.
Do you provide a care and support service?
Yes, we do. We are a regulated provider of support which means we can help with support planning changes and review and monitor any personal care you are getting. We take a facilitative approach to your support - it's your choices that come first, including who you feel is best placed to support you. Caregiving relationships count and by paying attention to the quality of the relationship, much better support ensues!
Do you put care workers on zero hour contracts?
Absolutely not. Currently, all care and support workers are independent, meaning they have full control over their hours, their fees and who they work with. We shall be offering employment contracts eventually but these will all be with guaranteed hours and will cover travel time. We strongly disapprove of the widespread practice of offering zero hour contracts, which can easily result in poor pay and appalling working conditions for care workers. So we don't offer them.
Do I have to sign a contract?
Yes, we ask you to agree to our Terms of Use and you also make an agreement between you and members of your Team. We help you with this.
How do I know I'll get a good support worker?
Our care and support workers go through a full vetting and selection process, which involves an identity, Disclosure and Barring Service check, references and qualifications check, application form and face-to-face interview. Both of you will be able to have a trial period before committing to regular support.
What if there's an issue?
Your Equal Care Facilitator is there to facilitate the relationships you have with those supporting you. This includes unpaid relationships too, like family members and volunteers. They are there to help you work through any issues - often, 95% of problems can be worked out with good, open communication and kind, open discussion. If things really aren't working out, you can decide to choose someone else to support. We have a Problem-solving Policy, which sets this out in more detail.
Will you help me find the right support?
