Help - I need somebody (Daily Mail Franchise Story)

Help! I need somebody…

Daily Mail

By: Linda Whitney

DEMAND for caring services is increasing, and many modern providers offer franchises.

Bluebird Care, for instance, the franchise which provides care for people in their own homes, is opening 11 new offices this spring and is looking for franchisees with £27,500 to invest.

The care sector has been little affected by the recession, and with 16 per cent of the UK population over 65 (23 per cent by 2030), it is set to grow.

The national long-term care market is estimated to be worth as much as £13 billion.

The growth in 'personalisation', under which people requiring care receive money to buy it for themselves, is driving up demand.

'We have seen the number of private buyers grow by 40 per cent in two years,' says Paul Tarsey of Bluebird Care.

Care sector franchisees run offices staffed by qualified carers, providing at-home care to elderly or disabled people.

Business comes from local authority contracts or the clients themselves.

Care is a highly regulated sector, so getting in with a franchise is easier than setting up alone, as franchisors will help you achieve the necessary standards for approval by the Commission for Social Care and Inspection (CSCI).

'You don't need to have a background in the sector, though personal experience of having provided care yourself or sourced it for someone else may give you a valuable insight into what's involved,' says Barry Vaughan of ERA Healthcare, who is seeking another 12 franchisees this year with £24,625 to invest.

You do not usually need a qualification in care to set up in business, provided you recruit a qualified manager..

'You need to be able to run a potentially large business, but also be committed to helping the most vulnerable,' says Trevor Brocklebank of Home Instead Senior Care.

The investment is £29,750.

Success also depends on a good sales pitch. 'You will be marketing your service to individuals, perhaps through local community groups, but also to local authorities, so you get on their lists of accredited suppliers,' says Dominic Rothwell of Sure- Care, who is looking for people with £25,000 to invest.

The increasing demand for care services is also leading to a growth in business for specialist recruitment companies such as Network Heath and Social Care. Their investment of £30,000 includes training and access to a debt factoring service to ensure a reliable income.

Bluebird Care. 01730 26002, ERA Healthcare: 01903 216 868, Home Instead: 01244 852693, SureCare: 01244 321199, Network Heath and Social Care: 0121 712 7828.

A FLAIR FOR CARE

'IT'S the little extras that you provide for clients that make a big difference to your success in the care sector,' says Liz Rickman, who runs a SureCare franchise in South London with her daughter Kim.

'Our carers must be willing to change a light bulb or put up a curtain rail for a client.

Caring even extends to the administration — one elderly man rang every ten minutes or so asking what he should do next, so we told him to make himself a cup of tea or read the paper,' says Liz.

Liz and Kim used their business management experience to start the franchise. With their manager and 135 staff, they provide care for about 400 clients, mostly elderly people with dementia.

'We start work every day at 5am. Running a care franchise is a 24-hour, 365- day commitment,' says Liz.

'You must be organised and efficient, but at the same time everyone in the organisation must be caring — it shows in everything you do. The advice I would give to others looking to start a care franchise is that you need dedication, patience and the ability to communicate and inspire staff. The regulations we have to abide by are getting tougher all the time, but the rewards of what we do are immense.'