How Our Introductory Live-In Care Service Works
Finding the right person to live in your home and support you or someone you love is a very personal decision.
At Live In Care Partners, our aim is to make that process as simple and reassuring as possible.
We are an introductory live-in care service. Our role is to get to know what you are looking for, carefully vet potential live-in carers and introduce you to a carer who may be a good match.
You then have the opportunity to speak with the carer, get to know them and decide whether they are right for you and your loved one.
What does an introductory agency mean?
An introductory agency connects people who need care with individual care workers.
Unlike a fully managed home-care provider, an introductory agency does not take ongoing responsibility for directing or managing the personal care once the carer has been introduced.
CQC guidance specifically recognises introductory agencies as being different from regulated home-care agencies where they have no ongoing role in the direction or control of the personal care provided.
This means that the person receiving care, or their family or representative, remains responsible for directing the day-to-day care arrangement with the individual carer.
What We Can Do
Listen to what you are looking for — We take the time to understand your loved one's care needs, personality, lifestyle and preferences.
Help identify a suitable carer — We look for a potential carer whose experience and personality may be a good fit for your circumstances.
Vet potential carers — We carry out our agreed checks on carers before making an introduction.
Introduce you to a potential carer — You can speak directly with the carer before deciding whether you would like to proceed.
Help you find the right personality match — Living together is a very personal arrangement, so compatibility matters as well as experience.
Give you choice — You remain involved in deciding who provides your loved one's care.
Introduce another carer if requested — If your introduced carer is unavailable, you can ask us to help find and introduce another suitable carer.
Help with planned breaks — If your live-in carer will be taking a holiday or other planned break, we can help by introducing another suitable carer for you to consider.
Help after an unexpected absence — If your carer becomes unavailable, you can contact us and ask us to introduce another potential carer. You remain responsible for deciding whether that person is suitable.
Explain how our service works — We want you to understand clearly what our role is and what responsibilities remain with you once you choose a carer.
What We Don't Do
Because we are an introductory service, there are important differences between our role and that of a fully managed, CQC-registered home-care provider.
Direct the carer's day-to-day care — You and the carer agree how the care is provided.
Manage the ongoing care plan — The ongoing care arrangements are managed between you and your carer.
Tell the carer how personal care must be delivered — We do not direct the way in which the carer provides personal care.
Arrange care rotas — The client and carer agree their own working arrangements.
Supervise the carer's ongoing performance — We do not provide ongoing supervision or management of the carer.
Monitor the quality of personal care being delivered — We do not take ongoing responsibility for monitoring or directing the care provided.
Make changes to the person's care plan — Changes to ongoing care arrangements are agreed directly by the client and carer.
Automatically send a replacement carer — If a carer is unavailable, we can help by introducing another potential carer, but you make the decision about whether to proceed with them.
Take over the care arrangement — Our role remains an introductory one rather than becoming the ongoing care provider.
What happens if your carer is unexpectedly off sick?
If your live-in carer becomes unavailable because of illness or another unexpected circumstance, you can contact us to ask whether we can introduce another suitable carer.
We will do our best to identify someone who may be suitable and available.
However, because we are an introductory service, we cannot simply assign someone to your loved one's home or take control of the care arrangements.
You remain in control
One of the key differences between an introductory service and a fully managed care provider is who directs the day-to-day care.
With an introductory service, you and your chosen carer work together directly. You can discuss:
- Your loved one's daily routine
- Personal preferences
- Meals and food choices
- Hobbies and interests
- Sleeping arrangements
- Personal care
- Household routines
- Social activities
- Appointments
- Expectations within the home
- Breaks and time off
- Other practical arrangements
This allows the person receiving care and their family to remain closely involved in how their support works.
Introductory Care vs Managed Care
| Live In Care Partners — Introductory Service | Managed CQC-Registered Care Provider |
|---|---|
| Helps you find and choose a carer | Provides and manages an ongoing care service |
| Vets and introduces potential carers | Recruits and manages care staff |
| You and the carer direct the day-to-day care | A care manager directs and oversees care |
| You remain responsible for the ongoing care arrangement | Provider manages the care arrangement |
| We can introduce another carer when requested | Provider may arrange replacement staff as part of its managed service |
| You decide whether to accept a replacement carer | Provider generally manages staffing and cover |
| We do not manage care plans | Manages and reviews care plans |
| We do not supervise the ongoing delivery of personal care | Provides ongoing supervision and oversight |
| We do not arrange care rotas | May arrange staff rotas |
| The ongoing relationship is directly between you and the carer | The care relationship is managed through the provider |
Why families choose an introductory service
An introductory service can suit families who want to be more involved in choosing and managing their loved one's care.
You get the opportunity to meet the person who may be living in your home and supporting your loved one, rather than having a carer allocated to you without that personal choice. It can also provide greater flexibility in finding someone whose experience, personality and lifestyle are a good fit.
At the same time, it is important to understand that an introductory service means you retain responsibility for the ongoing care arrangement.
Our Approach
We believe finding a live-in carer should be about more than simply matching experience to a list of care needs. It's about finding someone who can become a comfortable and trusted part of your loved one's life.
That's why we take the time to understand what matters to you before making an introduction. And if circumstances change, we can help by introducing another suitable carer when requested.
Live In Care Partners provides an introductory service. The ongoing direction and control of personal care remains with the person receiving care or their authorised representative and the individual carer. Our role is to vet and introduce carers and, where requested, introduce additional or replacement carers. We do not direct or manage the ongoing delivery of personal care.
Still have questions?
Talk to us about your circumstances and we'll explain how our introduction service works.