Six Questions To Ask Yourself Before Setting Up A Care Agency

We all know that home care is in short supply right now. Whether you have had neeed of careres for yourself or someone in your family, or you have just heard the stories from other people, you might well be thinking that there is a gap in your area for a care service. But is this business truly the one for you? These questions may help you to decide one way or the other.

Why Do I Want To Set Up A Care Agency?

This question gets to the heart of your motivations. You need to understand what’s in it for you.

Ideally, you want to start a care agency for the sheer love of it. However, you might also want to because you know how to set up a care agency and can see an opportunity in the market.

Do I Have The Skills To Set Up A Care Agency?

Next, you’ll want to think about whether you have the raw skills to set up a care agency. Most people only do it after two or three years in the industry full-time. They want to make sure they understand the tricky situations that often come up, and how to handle them correctly, before ploughing ahead.

Have I Researched My Local Area?

In terms of marketing, knowing your local area is vital. Care agencies are essentially local businesses and they depend on having access to the right people in the right areas.

Don’t set up in a location where the population of people over age 65 is minimal, or where elderly people are often accommodated in the sizeable houses of thier children and relatives. If you do, you could find yourself short on business.

Will I Have A Registered Manager In Place From Day One?

If you decide to go for an agency model, you’ll want to install a registered manager from day one. You either need to do this yourself or hire someone who is sufficiently qualified to do it on your behalf.

If you do it yourself, you’ll need to go through all the formalities. If you don’t know what those are then you have some preparation work to do. Don’t just jump into providing services as you may be non-compliant.

Do I Have Robust Care Management Software?

This question matters in terms of your operations. A lot of care businesses start up by using spreadsheets. But these days, software solutions can take care of the whole thing for you, so there’s no point in going to any extra effort.

If your software isn’t robust, you can find yourself in trouble pretty quickly. Timetables and rotas can get out of hand, and clients can miss visits, which is dangerous.

Will I Pay Carers Properly For Travel Time And Mileage?

You should also think about whether you’re going to pay carers for travel and mileage. A lot of companies try to avoid paying these extras, leaving them as the responsibility of the care workers themselves. You need to think carefully about whether you’re going to do this or not, and what the law requires in your area.

So there you have it: some of the questions you need to ask yourself before you set up a care agency. Are you still enthusiastic or will you maybe look elsewhere?

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