What NACAS Is…
The National Association of Care & Support Workers (NACAS) is the UK’s professional body for care and support workers. It exists to:
- Champion care workers’ professional status
- Raise standards in social care
- Provide support, guidance, and resources to individual care workers
- Give care workers a national voice in discussions with government, employers, and regulators
NACAS is run by care workers themselves and is recognised by the Department of Health & Social Care.
They maintain a professional register, campaign for mandatory national registration, and work to improve training quality, portability, and recognition across the sector.
How NACAS Helps With Live‑In Care at Home
NACAS does not provide live‑in carers directly and is not an agency.
Instead, they support the workers who deliver live‑in care, which indirectly improves the quality and safety of care people receive at home.
Here’s how their work connects to live‑in care:
1. Professional Standards for Live‑In Carers
NACAS develops Standards of Practice and campaigns for high‑quality, consistent training.
This matters for live‑in care because:
- Live‑in carers often work alone without on‑site supervision
- Consistent standards help ensure safe, skilled, ethical care in the home
- Training portability helps carers move between agencies or direct‑employment roles more easily
2. Support & Guidance for Individual Carers
Live‑in carers can access:
- DBS guidance
- Professional development pathways
- Specialist advice
- Peer support communities
This helps carers stay compliant, confident, and supported — which directly benefits the people they care for.
3. Advocacy for Better Working Conditions
Live‑in carers often face issues such as:
- Long hours
- Travel time disputes
- Low pay
- Lack of recognition
NACAS campaigns nationally to improve conditions, which can lead to:
- More stable care arrangements
- Better retention of skilled live‑in carers
- Higher quality of care at home
4. Raising the Status of Care Work
NACAS actively challenges the idea that care work is “unskilled” and promotes it as a professional career with specialisms — including live‑in care.
This helps attract and retain better‑trained carers.
What NACAS Does Not Do
It’s important to be clear:
- They do not supply live‑in carers
- They do not manage care packages
- They do not regulate agencies
- They do not provide case management or home‑care assessments
- They are a professional body, not a service provider.
Why This Matters for Families Using Live‑In Care
If you’re arranging live‑in care for your mother, NACAS can be useful in several ways:
- Helps you identify carers who take professionalism seriously
- A carer who is a NACAS member is signalling commitment to standards and ongoing development.
- Gives carers a support network
- A supported carer is more resilient – important in demanding live‑in roles.
- Pushes for better training and regulation
- This improves the overall quality of the live‑in care workforce.
- Encourages ethical practice
- NACAS promotes dignity, respect, and professionalism – all essential in someone’s home.
For more about National Association of Care & Support Workers (NACAS), please visit https://nacas.org.uk/