Care workers in Cornwall who look after people in their own homes are to be given more support to do their work.

Cornwall Council has signed Unison’s Ethical Care Charter which sets out a series of commitments to protect the rights of home care workers.

The Charter will commit all providers to paying workers the foundation living wage, covering the costs of travel time and travel expenditure and  ensure that all care workers receive a minimum number of days training (not in their own time) each year.

The Council will be exploring with providers how all workers can access an occupational sick pay scheme in the future. 

The Charter also stipulates that providers should ensure that  all visits allow sufficient time for the care to be carried out with personal dignity and that staff have clear and accountable processes for raising concerns.

Cornwall Council is the first authority in the South West to sign the Charter and joins several other councils across England, Scotland and Wales.