Social Care means supporting and enabling people to stay in their own homes for as long as possible, or within the community – keeping them out of hospital. It’s also about enabling people through supported living to become independent and live the way they choose.

There are a range of settings and roles available. Take a look at the many different care settings and roles available in social care.

Home Care

This involves visiting and supporting individuals in their homes. Duties could include:

  • Companionship including accompanying clients on social outings and appointments
  • Assisting with medication
  • Helping them get up or going to bed
  • Personal care (showering, washing and dressing)
  • Light house work duties (vacuuming and dusting, laundry and ironing)
  • Meal preparation
  • Assisting with medication

You’ll look after people with a wide range of needs such as:

  • Elderly and frail
  • Dementia
  • Alzheimer’s
  • Parkinson’s Disease
  • End of life care
  • Learning disabilities

Residential

Residential homes provide long term or respite care for people who need care in a residential setting rather than their own home. Duties could include:

  • Providing personal care
  • Assisting with meals
  • Assistance with medication

You’ll look after people with a wide range of needs such as:

  • Older people who require full time support
  • Younger adults with severe physical disabilities and/or learning disabilities
  • Brain injuries resulting from an accident
  • Mental health problems
  • Eating disorders
  • Drug and alcohol addiction

Supported Living

Supported living is working with people to enable them to live the life they choose. Duties could include:

  • Supporting people to gain skills and independence through day to day activities such as personal skills or leisure activities
  • Helping people to live safely in their own homes, pay bills and ensure their belongings are looked after
  • Supporting people with personal care and self-image
  • Support people to travel, either by driving them or supporting them to use public transport
  • Helping people to keep in touch with family and make new friends in the community
  • Looking after people’s health and wellbeing such as access to doctors, dentists, physiotherapists and other specialist services
  • Managing and administering medication

You’ll look after people with a wide range of needs such as:

  • Differing complexities of learning disabilities
  • Additional sensory disability
  • Additional physical disability
  • Challenging behaviour
  • Autism
  • Mental health conditions
  • Complex social support needs to maintain health such as epilepsy and other specific health needs

Day Care

Day care is a planned program of activities designed to promote well-being through social and health related services, during day time hours in a safe and supportive environment. Day care provides social interaction, a break for carers and daily activities. Duties could include:

  • Supporting people with social activities such as craft, cooking, exercise, music therapy, relaxation techniques
  • Providing assistance with eating, taking medication and personal care
  • Health monitoring
  • Preparation of meals and snacks
  • Transportation services

You’ll look after people with a wide range of needs such as:

  • Learning and physical disabilities
  • Cognitive impairment
  • Older people who are frail or lonely
  • Dementia

To work in social care, in any setting you will require a DBS check.