Frequently asked questions

Your home is your sanctuary, not a ward. Our carers are trained in Professional Boundaries and Home Etiquette. This means we don't just "barge in"—we ring the bell, we wait to be invited, and we follow your house rules, from where we park to whether we take our shoes off at the door. We’re there to support your lifestyle, not disrupt it.

It’s not a "one size fits all" situation. If it’s a morning call, it might be help with a shower, a fresh set of clothes, and a healthy breakfast. If it’s a "tuck-in" call, it’s about meds, security checks, and making sure you’re comfortable for the night. Every minute is documented in your Digital Care Log, so there’s a clear audit trail of exactly what was achieved.

Absolutely not. For security, we highly recommend a Police-approved Key Safe installed outside your property. We only give the code to the specific carers assigned to your "pod." This ensures your home stays secure, but we can always gain access in an emergency without you having to struggle to the door.

We’re more than just "personal care." Our team can handle the weekly "big shop," pick up prescriptions, or even help you manage your mail. Regarding medication, our staff are Level 2 Medication Trained, meaning they can move from simple "prompting" to full "administration" and recording on your MAR (Medication Administration Record) chart.

That’s what we call Reablement or Post-Discharge Care. You don’t need a long-term commitment to get started. We can step in to bridge the gap while you regain your strength, helping with physio exercises and daily tasks until you’re back to 100%. If you find you still want a bit of help once you're recovered, we can easily pivot to a lighter maintenance plan.

It depends on the level of "eyes-on" support you need. Hourly care is perfect for specific tasks throughout the day. However, if you need 24/7 peace of mind, our Live-in Care service provides a dedicated carer who stays in your spare room. It’s often a more cost-effective and dignified alternative to a residential care home for those with high-dependency needs.

This is a delicate one. We operate under the Mental Capacity Act (2005). We never "force" care; we use "Positive Encouragement" and relationship-building. Often, it’s about a carer becoming a "companion" first. If a client refuses a wash or meds, we document it, try a different approach (or a different carer), and keep the family/GP informed if it becomes a risk.

We don't do "gig economy" care. Every carer on our squad is a directly employed member of our team. This means they are fully insured, trained by us to our standards, and supervised by our Care Manager. You aren't getting a random sub-contractor; you're getting a professional who is invested in our company culture.

Yes. If the Local Authority has assessed you as needing care, you can often opt for Direct Payments or a Personal Budget. This gives you the cash directly to choose your own provider. We can work with you to ensure your invoices and care records satisfy the Council’s audit requirements, making the paperwork side of things painless.

Live-in care is a service where a trained care professional lives in the client’s home to provide ongoing support and companionship. This allows individuals to remain in familiar surroundings while receiving help with daily activities such as personal care, medication support, meals, and household tasks.

Live-in care is suitable for individuals who require regular or round-the-clock support but prefer to remain in their own home rather than move into a residential care home. It can benefit older adults, people living with disabilities, those recovering from illness, or individuals who need companionship and daily assistance.

A live-in carer can help with a range of daily activities including: • Personal care (washing, dressing, grooming) • Medication reminders or support • Preparing meals and supporting nutrition • Light household tasks • Companionship and emotional support • Assistance with appointments and outings Support is always tailored to the individual’s needs.

Yes. A live-in carer will need their own private bedroom in the home so they have space to rest and maintain privacy when they are not on duty.

Yes. Live-in care services in England are regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which ensures that care providers meet national standards for safety, quality, and safeguarding.

The goal of supported living is to help individuals live as independently as possible while receiving the support they need. It focuses on empowering people to develop life skills, make their own choices, and actively participate in their community.

Supported living is typically suitable for adults who may need some assistance with daily living but still want to live independently. This may include individuals with: • Learning disabilities • Autism • Mental health needs • Physical disabilities Support is tailored to each person’s needs and independence goals.

Support may include: • Help with personal care • Managing medication • Cooking and meal planning • Budgeting and managing money • Household tasks • Accessing education, work, or community activities • Emotional and social support Each individual receives a person-centred support plan.

Yes. In most supported living arrangements, individuals have their own tenancy agreement. This means they have the same housing rights as anyone else, while still receiving support from care professionals.

Support levels depend on the individual’s needs. Some people receive a few hours of support per week, while others may have 24-hour support or overnight staff available. The level of support is agreed through an assessment process.

Our approach focuses on building skills and confidence. We support individuals to learn everyday life skills such as cooking, budgeting, travelling independently, and managing their home, while providing guidance rather than doing everything for them.

Yes. Supported living is based on choice and control. Individuals are encouraged to make decisions about their daily routines, activities, and lifestyle, with support provided when needed.

Safety is a key priority. Our team follows strict safeguarding procedures and works in line with guidance from the Care Quality Commission and the Department of Health and Social Care. Staff are trained to recognise risks while still supporting independence.

Yes. Families and loved ones play an important role in supported living. We encourage regular communication and collaboration to ensure individuals receive the best possible support.

Supported living may be funded through local authority support, personal budgets, or direct payments following an assessment by the individual’s local council. Our team can help guide families through the process and provide the information needed.

We provide numerous home care services to families just like yours. Domiciliary/Home Care, Supported Living, Live-In Care. To see how we might be able to help your family specifically, please contact us to have a free at-home consultation to discuss and agree your specific care plan.

We understand that a strong rapport and trust with a caregiver are vital to a great experience. If your loved one receives care for many hours in a day or at different times of the day throughout the week, it may be necessary to schedule more than one carer in a given week. If your loved one requires multiple carers, our goal is the same: Delivering high standards of care. we will work to ensure you only have a small group of carers visiting.

Yes, we can either prompt, assist or administer medications as prescribed. We will discuss and agree to this as part of your care plan.

We usually accommodate any reasonable changes to service and proactively review your care plan to see if extra care would help. Normally we ask for 1 month's notice so we can review and plan. You are never bound to a long-term contract, so you can discontinue care at your discretion for either personal or family reasons.

We have a family App that provides visibility and details of all visits and care given. Talk to us about getting onboard.

Each package of care is different and we will set your expectation on the number of carers you will have, depending on the care requirements. We ensure you have a sufficiently sized team to cover holidays, sickness and absence.

We have dozens of 5 star verified reviews on Homecare professional site.(https://www.homecare.co.uk/homecare/agency.cfm/id/65432227947) You can also view our social pages Facebook,(https://www.facebook.com/Lead-Care-Services-Limited-1106135062857453/) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/leadcareservices/)and Google (https://maps.app.goo.gl/U8kmaCUvMYiVZgEj6)pages.

Every family we serve receives a Custom Care Plan specific to their needs and budget. Several factors help determine the exact cost: • Number of hours of care per week • Level of care services received (non-medical, skilled nursing, etc.) • Our care services are typically billed on an hourly basis. This makes it easy to make a Custom Care Plan for you. To discuss the exact rates for the services you may need, please contact us. We will set up a free in-home consultation to begin discussing a Custom Care Plan. We always provide a written rate sheet prior to initiating care services. Rates may increase due to additional care needs. get in touch

We believe communication between our Professional Carers and clients is extremely important. All of our carers are fluent in English, and many speak other languages as well, so do let us know if you're looking for a Professional Carer who can speak a specific language and we will try to match you with them. We meet all our carers in-person at their interview and at our training, so we ensure that their English is of a good standard.

Because we are well established and cover the local area, we are able to move quite quickly, typically between 1-5 days to get care in place - this includes your care consultation, care assessment, matching and finalising documentation.

Yes, we ensure our carers who work with clients with dementia receive specialist training to ensure they are equipped with the right skills and approaches to provide the best possible quality of care. If you would like more information about dementia care, please contact one of our care specialists on 01438419888.

At Lead Care Service, we are very proud of our Care Quality Commission (CQC) registration and have worked hard to receive a score of ‘Good’ (Rated May 2017). If you are unhappy with your current care provider or need to find out more about CQC ratings please call Lead Care on 01438419888.

The CQC is a body that regulates care provision in the UK for both care homes and domiciliary care (at home) providers, as well as GP practices, hospitals, and dentists. They review each care agency and set strict standards to which providers have to adhere to. Please read more about the Care Quality Commission report. (https://www.cqc.org.uk/location/1-3727275725/inspection-summary)

We provide Live-in Care across England and domiciliary / Home Care Services in Stevenage, Hitchin, Letchworth and surrounding Villages. Our Supported Living units are set up in various areas across the country. Please call our care specialists if you have any questions, call us on 01438419888.

Please let us know as soon as possible. We will work with you to resolve any issues, as our commitment is to deliver top-quality care at all times.

Because your live-in carer will live with you in your home, they can support you at any time – day and night – in whatever way you require. This also offers valuable peace of mind to your loved ones.

If you’re living with a complex medical condition, a live-in carer will get to understand your specific needs and preferences so that they can always offer the right type and level of support for your condition.

One of the main benefits of a live-in carer is that they can support you to continue living life at your own pace and on your own terms, including eating meals and going to bed when you like.

Our live-in care service is fully managed by your local Helping Hands branch, meaning you’re guaranteed a fully-trained carer, full carer cover, all-inclusive pricing and the support of your local care manager

Your live-in carer will be able to help you keep up all your favourite hobbies and interests – whether you’re a keen gardener, part of a book club, have a particular TV show you want to watch together, or enjoy hosting friends.

Not only can a live-in carer help you attend social engagements, they also become a great friend to many of their customers. All of our carers are hired for their friendly, compassionate personalities.

Because your live-in carer will live with you in your home, they can support you at any time – day and night – in whatever way you require. This also offers valuable peace of mind to your loved ones.

If you’re living with a complex medical condition, a live-in carer will get to understand your specific needs and preferences so that they can always offer the right type and level of support for your condition.

One of the main benefits of a live-in carer is that they can support you to continue living life at your own pace and on your own terms, including eating meals and going to bed when you like.

Our live-in care service is fully managed by your local Helping Hands branch, meaning you’re guaranteed a fully-trained carer, full carer cover, all-inclusive pricing and the support of your local care manager

Your live-in carer will be able to help you keep up all your favourite hobbies and interests – whether you’re a keen gardener, part of a book club, have a particular TV show you want to watch together, or enjoy hosting friends.

Not only can a live-in carer help you attend social engagements, they also become a great friend to many of their customers. All of our carers are hired for their friendly, compassionate personalities.