included details of our confidentiality policy and our need to inform authorities if we were made aware of potential serious safeguarding concerns. Findings Three overarching themes emerged from interviews (Table 3). Table 3: Overarching interview themes Presentation and Care worker relationship Conceptualisations of performance training Innate positive personality Foundation of respect and Spectrum between traits valued trust important essential starting point and training as not Commitment to work and Mutuality of relationship essential reliability appreciated acknowledged Different views on balance to be struck between friend and employer Presentation and performance All participants at some point in their interview discussed the importance of the innate characteristics of the care worker they had or desired. Positive personality traits noted included being and respectful, kind, ‘naturally’ compassionate, warm, genuine. Friendliness was highly valued, especially in cases where service users were living by themselves and led relatively isolated lives. To some, friendliness seemed to denote underlying values of respect and equality. The company of the care worker could be one of the largest social components of their week. This was evident in some of the participants’ remarks: and that they are going to “That he’s friendly… enjoys his job… you know care well and they a chat with don’t mind having you”
included details of our confidentiality policy and our need to inform authorities if we were made aware of potential serious safeguarding concerns. Findings Three overarching themes emerged from interviews (Table 3). Table 3: Overarching interview themes Presentation and performance Care worker relationship Conceptualisations of training Innate positive personality traits valued Commitment to work and reliability appreciated Foundation of respect and trust important Mutuality of relationship acknowledged Different views on balance to be struck between friend and employer Spectrum between essential starting point and training as not essential Presentation and performance All participants at some point in their interview discussed the importance of the innate characteristics of the care worker they had or desired. Positive personality traits noted included being respectful, kind, ‘naturally’ compassionate, warm, and genuine. Friendliness was highly valued, especially in cases where service users were living by themselves and led relatively isolated lives. To some, friendliness seemed to denote underlying values of respect and equality. The company of the care worker could be one of the largest social components of their week. This was evident in some of the participants’ remarks: “That he’s friendly… and enjoys his job… you know that they are going to care well and they don’t mind having a chat with you”