Home care resources

To get you started here is an introduction to home care on the NHS site called Help at home from a paid carer. This type of care is known as homecare or domiciliary care or sometimes home help.

The NIHR webpage; Transforming care and health at home describes how the NIHR has co-funded 14 new research projects to develop technologies such as self-care apps, smart devices and wearables to help people transform their care and health at home.

To better understand Home Care the Kings Fund webpage gives information on what is home care and also some of the challenges surrounding home care which may help you to better understand and engage.

Below is an example case study of a NIHR funded study;

An introduction to Home Care

Staff are sometimes referred to as field workers or staff who work in the field.

Home care is the largest part of social care.

Home care is one aspect of social care provision along with care homes, they are either private organisations, LA funded or charities.

Home care is a domiciliary service as it goes in to a person's house.

Domiciliary provision can includes home care, home adaptations, local community setting up coffee mornings, mental health drop ins or medicine drop off. It is anything which goes in to homes or community based ‘assets’ -  the places where people can be supported. LA are the funder if you have less then 23000 pounds in your bank account. Library services who go to homes due to visual impairments have a social care aspects. Transport services, food banks, dementia cafes are all part of social provision.

The resources below have been created by members of the Supra Network to help our delivery staff engage and recruit in Adult Social Care settings such as Home Care, Care Home, Supported or Assisted living and Intellectual Disabilities

Introduction To Research - Home Care Resource

This resource has been created to introduce research to Home Care managers, staff and users of services and their families. It can also help to support your knowledge and engagement with Home Care and the benefits of research and the support that is available. 


This resource differs depending on which region you are accessing it from as it contains local specific information. Please access this link through NIHR Learn and through your Locally Delivered Learning tab.

The aim of this resource is to equip delivery staff and researchers with the information they need to engage and recruit within social care. This includes practical information about how to engage well with social care providers and also how to support social care study teams. This workbook will be useful to support researchers with the following providers;

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) have a job to monitor and inspect health and social care services such as home care organisations. The CQC website holds information regarding  organisations involved in care in peoples home. Be aware that not all home care providers are CQC regulated.

A new strategy for the changing world of health and social care' - CQC strategy 2021. In this document you will find information regarding the CQC's commitment to research.

There are many websites and organisations that exist to keep home care professionals and providers up to date with relevant research findings, guidelines and recommendations these include;

Home Care Research Forum

The Home Care Research Forum brings together researchers in home care with practitioners to discuss the latest findings in the field.

https://www.kcl.ac.uk/events/series/home-care-research-forum


Top tips for engaging and recruiting in Home Care

Here is an example of a leaflet to help engage with this service and to highlight to you the key priorities which will help with your communication;

https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/1zCbmVrunj82F2HRU2y36JnW1IWrn2Ax9eAf7fRFyo7w/edit?usp=sharing 

If you would like to edit this leaflet to make it specific to your local region, please contact stephanie.kings-jones@nihr.ac.uk