Becoming a personal assistant in social care
Being a personal assistant
What is a personal assistant (PA)?
Someone who is usually employed directly by a person (or a family member) who needs support to live their life in a way they choose. We offer support and advice to enable you to work as a personal assistant in the caring sector.
Flexibility
As a PA, you can work around other commitments. This means you can specify those hours that suit when you are available to work. You can also work for more than one person if you wish.
Salary
As a PA, your potential wage could be £10.85 per hour.
Variety
There are opportunities to conduct a range of work for different people with different needs and requirements and even work with someone with common interests to you.
Job satisfaction
Being employed by the person you care for means that you will be there when they need and you can fulfil your tasks well without needing to rush off. You can also develop a longer-term professional relationship with your employer.
What your wage is funded from
Most individuals who employ a PA have something called a direct payment. They get a direct payment after having an assessment of their needs by either a social services department or the local health service.
This money is for individuals to buy their own care and support from care organisations, buy specialist equipment and/or employ their own personal assistants. Not everyone who employs a PA will have a personal budget.
Our personal assistant directory
You can now advertise your availability to work as a PA in the caring sector on our site. You can manage the information that is displayed on your advert: the days and times of your availability within the week, the local areas you wish to work within, the work requirements you are happy to meet and the specialist areas that you are willing to work within.
Once you have done this, those who need your services will be able to find you on our website and if their needs match up with what you say you can deliver, they may contact you.
Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check
Once you have created your advert, your details will not become visible on the website until we have verified the completion of your enhanced disclosure and barring service (DBS) check and have found you suitable to be included in the PA directory; depending on the outcome of the check.
For the role of personal assistant in the caring sector, you are required to complete a new DBS application even if you already have a DBS certificate.
Note: you will be asked to make payment of £67.40 for your own new DBS while completing the application. Once you have registered your profile with the Lewisham Personal Assistant directory and committed with your employer for a period of six months, Direct Payment may reimburse the money you have paid for your initial Disclosure of Baring Certificate.
Register your interest in this role
To register your interest in this role and begin the process towards advertising your services on our directory, please email PAregistration@lewisham.gov.uk and provide your full name, contact number and reason for getting in touch. In the subject line of your email, please include the words 'I would like to become a personal assistant'. Once we receive your email, we will be in touch by email and will advise you of the next steps.