10 Types of Care Roles to Consider

Published on: Mon, 23 May 2022
By: Rachael, redwigwam

Our Carers and Support Workers are vital in the UK. They got us through the pandemic, and they’ve helped enrich many, many lives through their hard work and dedication, long before we’d even heard of COVID-19.

If you’re reading this blog, we’re assuming you have an interest in Care, but you may not know which route to go down. There are lots of areas you can work, which does make finding the right one for you feel incredibly overwhelming, but that’s where we come in. 

We’ve listed 10 different types of Care roles you can consider, explaining what each of them do.

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Home Care Support Worker

In this role, you’ll be working closely with an individual in their home, assisting them with their independent living where you can.

This role varies from cooking, cleaning to helping your client out with their personal bills like the gas, electric etc. You’ll become like a family member to your client, engaging in regular conversations with them and making sure you make them smile throughout your visits.

Your main tasks are:

  • Bathing/Dressing your patient 
  • Light cleaning around the house I.E folding laundry or getting rid of rubbish.
  • Giving the resident their medication
  • Being a companion for the resident
  • Driving them to the doctors / other appointments they may have
  • Grocery shopping

Some of these jobs will be daily visitations, whilst others require you to check in with the person a couple times a week. You’ll get into a routine with the people you care for, and this should be great for both you and them, as you establish a good bond.

Care Assistant

This is a general job title you may see on your job search, lots of these jobs are for Support and Care Assistants within a Care Home. In this role you’ll work with other Care/Support workers to ensure everyone in the establishment are safe and happy. The role includes:

  • Bathing/Washing residents
  • Making sure everywhere is clean and tidy
  • Helping with visitations
  • Organising events for the residents
  • Medication monitoring
  • Other various care tasks

If you want to learn more, check out our Frequently asked questions about working as a Care Assistant

Family Support Worker

The main focus of this role is to give practical assistance and emotional support to families. You’ll be working for the government or social services, tackling issues such as domestic abuse, addition problems and social difficulties.

Working closely with a family, you’ll build a plan with them and give them the care, and resources they need in order to get themselves back on track. Every family is different, so you’ll ensure you help give the best personalised plan as possible.

Other tasks include:

  • Creating a personalised plan for your client
  • Conducting regular reviews with your client and updating your report / tweaking your plan if needed
  • Ensuring everything is confidential and secure
  • Constantly updating your reports when needed
  • Attending any court sessions or other appointments
  • Working with Social Workers to come up with the best solution for the families

Outreach Support Worker

An Outreach Support Worker is someone who gives advice and support. You can become an Outreach Support Worker across various groups such as Mental Health, Vulnerable teenagers & Young and expectant mothers.

The role involves:

  • Providing people with the correct information / advice
  • Help develop and implement specific outreach programmes
  • Ensuring everyone is treated equally and everyone has the same access to help and support

Drug and Alcohol Support Worker

This role involves supporting individuals who are struggling with Drug/Alcohol addictions. This is a challenging role, which focuses on helping individuals in their recovery.

The main tasks involve:

  • Working with individuals as they go through their recovery of Drug/Alcohol misuse
  • Collaborate with colleagues, prison and community service on the best action possible for individual cases
  • Adhering to policies related to safeguarding

Women’s Refuge Support Worker

This role involves working with women, children and young people who have experienced Domestic Abuse. You’ll be working closely with individuals, developing and implementing support plans.

The role involves:

  • Providing support to women, children & young people who have experienced domestic abuse
  • Developing and implementing a specific plan to cater that individual case
  • Constantly review the plan, make tweaks when needed and keep all progress up to date
  • Develop relationships with agencies to ensure the diverse needs of women using those services are met
  • Helping support women with childcare and other various needs
  • Keep up to date with the relevant legislations.

Healthcare Support Worker

A healthcare support worker can work across a wide range of settings including Mental health, children’s services and many more – it is completely down to you and your passions. Within this role you’ll be working directly with healthcare professionals to support individual cases, helping them get back on their feet and move forward into full health.

Your main role involves:

  • Helping patients with their mobility / to move around
  • Monitoring their healing progress and updating any reports
  • Making patients smile
  • Washing / dressing patients
  • Serving meals
  • Helping with any issues I.E bills and other duties they may need to resolve on the outside

Mental Health Support Worker

A mental health support worker provides assistance and basic care to patients who have Mental Illnesses. You’ll monitor your patient’s condition and assist them with daily activities.

Most mental health support workers will typically work in a residential mental health facility and will have a hand full of patients they provide personal care for.

If you:

  • Have a caring nature
  • Willing to help people and talk through their problems
  • Are patient and firm
  • Great at problem solving

Then this role may be for you!

Community Support Worker

A Community Support worker role is great for someone who’s chatty and bubbly. Your main task will be visiting people in their homes, ensuring they are safe, healthy and happy!

The majority of your clients won’t need around the clock support, your role is to make sure they’re making the right decisions and assisting them with any issues they have, whilst also empowering them to continue being independent.

You're responsible for:

  • Making sure your clients are healthy and happy
  • Supporting them in whatever they do
  • Assist them with any bill payments or any other domestic needs around the house

If you want to learn more, check out our Frequently asked questions about working as a Community Support Worker.

Adult Support Worker

This is a general term, that could fall under most of the roles listed within this blog post! A general Adult Support Worker will look after a wide range of adults, from Young Mothers, to people recovering from addiction, with the key aim of supporting them and making sure they can live independently and safety.

You’ll be encouraging them to achieve their goals, and even helping them with a plan. This is an extremely rewarding role that can be life changing.

If you:

  • Have a passion for helping people
  • Are patient
  • Empathic & understanding of peoples struggles

Then you sound like a great fit for this role!

 

If you want to learn more, check out our Frequently asked questions about working as a Support Worker. 

 

We hope you’ve found this blog informative, if you’re looking for Care and Support Jobs then you’re in luck. At redwigwam we’re looking for Community Support Workers, Care Assistants & many more!

Please check out our latest jobs page and sign up – you could find a new role today!

Looking for a role in Care?

We're looking for Support Workers, Care Assistants & many more!