Essential policies for Micro-Providers
Introduction
As a self-employed provider working through the Local Help My Way scheme, you must demonstrate safe, professional, and ethical practice.
One way you do this is by maintaining a professional portfolio containing key documents that demonstrate how you work, how you protect the people you support, and how you meet the standards expected within the scheme.
These documents help reassure clients, families, and partner organisations that you are working responsibly and in line with good practice.
Our Quality Standard outlines that providers should have a portfolio of relevant policies and supporting documents available to share with clients where appropriate. These policies do not need to be complex, but they should clearly explain how you work and the steps you take to ensure safety, dignity, confidentiality, and professionalism.
The following policies represent the core and recommended documents that form part of a professional provider portfolio.
Click on the title to access the template.
1.health & Safety Policy
This policy explains how you keep yourself and the people you support safe while working.
Why it’s important:
It helps prevent accidents, reduce risks, and ensures everyone involved is protected.
2. Safeguarding Policy
This policy outlines how you will protect people from abuse, neglect, or harm, and what actions you will take if you have safeguarding concerns.
Why it’s important:
It ensures you respond appropriately and quickly to concerns, helping to keep people safe and fulfilling your duty of care.
3. Privacy Policy
This policy describes how you collect, store, use, and share personal information in line with data protection legislation.
Why it’s important:
It protects people’s privacy and ensures you comply with legal requirements around handling personal data.
4.Complaints Policy
This policy explains how clients can raise concerns or provide feedback about your service, and how you respond and learn from it.
Why it’s important:
It promotes openness, trust, and accountability, while helping you continuously improve your service
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5. Key Safe Policy
This policy explains how you safely manage access to clients’ homes when key safes are used, including confidentiality of codes and safe handling of keys.
Why it’s important:
It protects the security of clients’ homes and ensures access arrangements are handled responsibly.
6. Personal Care Policy
This policy outlines how you provide personal care support respectfully and safely, including maintaining dignity, privacy, and consent.
Why it’s important:
It ensures personal care is delivered in a way that protects people’s dignity, comfort, and well-being.
7. Ethical Practice Policy
This policy explains the professional standards you follow, including maintaining boundaries, acting with integrity, and working in the best interests of the people you support.
Why it’s important:
It promotes professionalism, trust, and responsible practice when supporting vulnerable individuals.
8. Lone Working Policy
This policy explains how you manage risks when working alone in people’s homes, including safety checks and emergency procedures.
Why it’s important:
It helps protect your personal safety and prepares you for unexpected situations.
9. Infection Control Policy
This policy outlines how you prevent and manage the spread of infection through good hygiene practices and the use of protective equipment where necessary.
Why it’s important:
It helps protect both you and the people you support from illness.
10. EDI Policy
This Equality Diversity & Inclusion policy sets out your commitment to treating everyone fairly and with respect, recognising and valuing individual needs and differences.
Why it’s important:
It ensures your service is inclusive and promotes dignity and respect for everyone.
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11. Food Hygiene Policy
This policy explains how food is prepared, stored, and handled safely when providing meals or snacks with or for people.
Why it’s important:
It helps prevent food contamination, reduces the risk of illness, and ensures safe nutrition for those you support.
12. First Aid Policy
This policy describes how you respond to accidents, injuries, or sudden illness, including any first aid training you have and how incidents are recorded.
Why it’s important:
It ensures you can respond quickly and appropriately in emergencies, helping to minimise harm and keep people safe.
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13. Policy
This policy explains the professional standards you follow, including maintaining boundaries, acting with integrity, and working in the best interests of the people you support.
Why it’s important:
It promotes professionalism, trust, and responsible practice when supporting vulnerable individuals.
14. Policy
This policy explains how you manage risks when working alone in people’s homes, including safety checks and emergency procedures.
Why it’s important:
It helps protect your personal safety and prepares you for unexpected situations.
15. Policy
This policy outlines how you prevent and manage the spread of infection through good hygiene practices and the use of protective equipment where necessary.
Why it’s important:
It helps protect both you and the people you support from illness.
16. EDI Policy
This Equality Diversity & Inclusion policy sets out your commitment to treating everyone fairly and with respect, recognising and valuing individual needs and differences.
Why it’s important:
It ensures your service is inclusive and promotes dignity and respect for everyone.
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17. Food Hygiene Policy
This policy explains how food is prepared, stored, and handled safely when providing meals or snacks with or for people.
Why it’s important:
It helps prevent food contamination, reduces the risk of illness, and ensures safe nutrition for those you support.
18. First Aid Policy
This policy describes how you respond to accidents, injuries, or sudden illness, including any first aid training you have and how incidents are recorded.
Why it’s important:
It ensures you can respond quickly and appropriately in emergencies, helping to minimise harm and keep people safe.
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