A job where the point of it is obvious.
Care work is not for everyone. It suits people who are reliable, patient, and genuinely interested in other people's lives. If that sounds like you, we would like to hear from you — whether you are experienced or starting out.
Illustrative photograph
The role
What a care assistant actually does
You will travel to people's homes in and around Benfleet and help them with the things they can no longer manage alone: getting up and dressed, washing, making a proper meal, taking the right tablets at the right time, and getting out of the house now and then.
You will also be the person who notices. That somebody has lost weight. That the same letter has been on the mat for a week. That they have not mentioned their daughter in a while. Noticing is most of the job, and it is the part that cannot be trained into somebody.
It is a job with real responsibility and it can be emotionally heavy. It is also, reliably, one of the few jobs where you go home knowing exactly what you did today and why it mattered.
What we look for
Qualities that cannot be taught
Reliability
Somebody is waiting for you, often having built their whole morning around your arrival. Turning up when you said you would is the minimum standard, not a bonus.
Patience
Rushing somebody who is slow, confused or frightened makes everything worse. You need to be able to work at someone else's pace without showing frustration.
Discretion
You will see people at their most private. What happens in somebody's home stays in that home, and in the confidential record — nowhere else.
Good written English
Every visit is recorded. Clear notes are how the rest of the team knows what happened and how changes get spotted early.
Genuine interest in people
You have to actually like other people's company, including on the days when they are not at their best. That cannot be faked for long.
Willingness to learn
Dementia, moving and handling, medication, safeguarding — the training never really stops, and the good carers keep asking questions.
What the job involves
The practical picture
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Where you would work | In people's own homes in and around Benfleet and the surrounding Essex area. You will travel between visits, so you need to be able to get around reliably. |
| Hours | Shift patterns vary with the people we support. We discuss the hours available with you directly, including whether part-time or flexible patterns are possible. |
| Pay | Rates depend on the role, your experience and the shift pattern. We will confirm the current rate with you before you apply, so nothing is a surprise. |
| Checks required | An enhanced DBS check with a barred-list check, and evidence of your right to work in the UK. These are legal requirements for regulated care work and we will guide you through both. |
| Training | You will be given an induction before you work alone, plus the training you need for the people you support. Regular refreshers are part of the job. |
| Experience | Welcome but not essential. We are more interested in the qualities above than in a CV full of care jobs. |
About current vacanciesWe do not list individual vacancies on this website, because they change faster than a web page can. Pay rates, shift patterns and what is currently available are confirmed by our recruitment team on request. Please get in touch and ask — we will give you a straight answer.
How to apply
Three steps, no hoop-jumping
Get in touch
Email careers@integratedsupportserviceltd.com, call 01268 964605, or send your CV and a short note about why care work interests you.
Have a conversation
An informal chat, in person or on the phone, about the work, the hours and what you are looking for. This is as much for you to ask us questions.
Complete the checks
If we both want to proceed, we start the DBS and reference checks and book your induction. You will not work unsupervised before this is done.
Still deciding?
Come and ask us the awkward questions.
What the pay really is. What happens when a client is difficult. Whether the rotas are fair. Call us and we will answer honestly.