Finding a Self Employed Personal Assistant

south37

I’m trying to manage several different processes to get long term support, but am failing miserably. 

One of them is adult social care which I did mainly for needing a PA but have no idea how long this process will take or if I’ll even manage it alone. 

I really need a PA now to help with this and other processes. I’ve seen lots about hiring and employing a PA, but how do I find a self employed PA for a short term basis?

Hopeless

I empathise. I really need the long term support of a PA but can’t manage the process of finding one or being an employer without the support!

south37

it’s so hard isn’t it!

I end up going round in circles, one organisation says try this one, that organisation says try the one who said to try them! It’s endless.

I too wouldn’t be able to manage being an employer either.

SheffieldMan1976

Seeing as I have almost no patience, I'd be a terrible Boss.

Rachel_Scope

Hi @south37. We have lots of information here about employing a PA https://www.scope.org.uk/advice-and-support/hiring-pa-for-home-care#How-to-get-a-PA-or-support-worker-click but I'm wondering if these will be the same organisations you've been passed around by. I don't have personal experience of this so I'm not sure what else to suggest. Hopefully there's something in the link that you haven't tried yet.

igglypop93

I dont know if they'll be available near you but penderels trust we're a lifesaver for me. I have a managed account with them which means they help me with payroll and advertising etc and answer any and all questions I have about employing someone. If you talk to your adult social care team they may have something similar they can guide you to?

Before I had the direct payment set up until used to hire hourly PAs from curam care which is like an online agency but the hourly prices can be quite high.

Hope you can find some support for getting stuff sorted but adult social care was really helpful for getting me through it and guiding me to penderels as I was completely overwhelmed too.

SheffieldMan1976

I've had a less than successful experience with Agency staff, most of 'em were plain incompetent IMO.

south37

@Rachel_Scope hello thank you for this, I had looked but thought it was only about directly employing a PA, so will check out the agency’s mentioned.

south37

@igglypop93 thank you. I haven’t found my adult care service very helpful so far, am only in the early stages but they’re not forthcoming with answers to questions I’ve asked so have given up trying for now.

I don’t think I could handle being an employer even with support but I’ll take a look.

south37

@SheffieldMan1976 that’s the experience we had with my Nan, some were lovely and did a great job but others not at all