Our introductory agency status

What is an introductory agency?

An introductory care agency introduces you to a self-employed carer, rather than employing a carer and sending them to you. Once you've chosen a carer, you agree the care directly with them. The agency supports the arrangement with vetting, matching, payments and help whenever things change.

In England, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) explains in its guidance on introductory agencies that introductory agencies don't need to register with it, because they have no ongoing role in the personal care a carer provides after an introduction. Elder works this way across England, Scotland and Wales, so we aren't required to register with the CQC, Care Inspectorate Wales or the Care Inspectorate in Scotland.

What this means for you

You and your loved one stay in charge of care: who provides it, how the day runs and what matters most. You're not doing it alone, though. Elder helps families and self-employed carers to:

• Find each other
• Choose each other
• Manage their ongoing relationship directly

Along the way, you'll have your own MyElder account, a Family Support Specialist you can reach seven days a week, and ongoing checks from our Safety and Trust team.

Does a care agency need to be regulated to be trusted?

Regulation is one way to judge a care service, but it’s not the only one. CQC registration applies to agencies that employ carers and direct how care is delivered. Introductory agencies like Elder work differently, so they aren't required to register. That doesn't mean fewer safeguards. They just sit in different places.

What matters most day to day is who the carer is, how well they've been checked and whether they're right for your loved one. With Elder, every carer passes identity, right to work and enhanced DBS or PVG checks before any introduction. You can read their profile and feedback from other families, and speak to them before you decide. If something doesn't feel right, a Family Support Specialist is available seven days a week, and you can change carer.

What we can't do as an introductory agency

Because Elder doesn't direct care, there are some things we can't do. We can't:

• Directly provide or mandate training for self-employed carers, or manage their performance
• Create a care plan based on your loved one's needs
• Advise on, direct or change how a self-employed carer provides care
• Act as an advocate for your loved one by changing the care they receive or giving care advice
• Review or manage a care plan in consultation with your loved one

How medication support works with self-employed carers

Self-employed carers on the Elder platform can only prompt your loved one to take their medication, as we don’t assess the self-employed carer’s skill base/qualifications for administering medication.

We always encourage carers to build the training and skills needed to support medication safely, but as an introductory agency, we have no ability to insist or mandate that this training is undertaken by self-employed carers. If you and your loved one choose to go ahead with a carer's services, you do so knowing that Elder has no oversight, control, or management of this aspect of care.

Any ongoing requirement to provide medication support is something you, your loved one, and your carer agree together directly, so it's shaped around exactly what your family needs.