Benefits of Becoming a Micro Provider

• Work within your local community, reducing travel time and expenses while making a meaningful difference close to home.
• Enjoy the flexibility to organise your work around your personal life, commitments, and preferences.
• Develop lasting, meaningful relationships with the people you support.
• Benefit from full autonomy over your work
• Manage your career independently and shape your own professional direction and experience.
• Gain direct work to clients seeking your skills through our Community Support Lead
• Receive ongoing support from an experienced and dedicated team.
• Access free training to meet required standards.
• Participate in peer support sessions and meet-ups
• Receive signposting support for your self-employed role.
• Template documents and everything you need as a new business start up
• Very low start up and running costs
• Work with the credibility and backing of an established organisation.
• Be supported by strong governance and accountability through Porlock Vale CIC.
• Operate within a Somerset Council-endorsed and supported Micro Provider Network.

• Clients receive personalised support at home or in their community from people who live locally, building trust and understanding.
• Support is co-designed, encouraging collaboration between carers and individuals to find creative and flexible solutions.
• Individuals and families gain confidence in high-quality support,
• Support to facilitate earlier discharge from hospital.
• People are supported to stay connected to their communities, reducing isolation and loneliness.
• Community-based provision can offer more affordable care options, delivering better value for clients.

To become a registered Micro-Provider, there is a small start-up fee followed by a monthly subscription fee. Once payment has been received, all Micro-Providers will be issued with a Micro-Provider Pack, which includes everything required to join our trusted network, along with our Code of Conduct and Network Handbook.

As part of our trusted network, Micro-Providers are expected to meet and adhere to certain criteria, including:

• All Relevant Insurances
  
• An Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service Certificate issued within three years
  
• A client agreement 
  
• A complaints procedure
  
• Assessing Risk
  
• Safeguarding Policy
  
• Assessing and meeting client needs procedure
  
• Right to work in the UK
  
• Proof of address 
  
• Proof of self employment
  
• Understanding the legal limitations of your role 
  

Alongside the support of the Community Support Lead and Admin team, Our Micro-Provider pack will provide you with all the templates and information you will need to meet our shared SCC standards and become a professional trusted Micro-Provider with PVCIC. 

We also offer Safeguarding Adults, GDPR, First Aid, Professional boundaries and Safe handling of medication training courses.
Each registered Micro-provider will have a dedicated profile within our database. This profile will be used to record all training, qualifications, and ongoing professional development.

Once created, the profile will be sent to you for completion and then securely stored on our system. It can then be shared with potential new clients whenever you accept a service user request.

As a Micro-Provider, you are only able to deliver unregulated activities. PVCIC offers ongoing guidance as part of your subscription; however, you remain responsible for the services you provide and must take time to fully understand the boundaries of your role.

It is essential that Micro-Providers clearly understand their scope of practice. The following activities are outside the scope of a Micro-Provider and must not be undertaken:

• Coordinating the work of other Micro-Providers 
  
• Creating rotas of care involving other Micro-Providers 
  
• Subcontracting work to other Micro-Providers 
  
• Making decisions on behalf of the person receiving care or their legal representative 
  

Where Micro-Providers are delivering unregulated support, all care and support must be led, directed, and controlled by the person receiving care or their legal representative at all times.