#feelthelove: The unspoken shame of using an agency – and why it needs to stop

There’s something that doesn’t get talked about enough in this sector.

A lot of Registered Managers feel like they shouldn’t have to use an agency.

It’s almost like admitting defeat, and that comes from a good place.

Managers don’t take on the role lightly. They do it because they want to care for people.

Yes, there’s paperwork, compliance, back office – lots and lots to do – but at the centre of it all is making sure the people in their care are looked after properly.

When they recruit their own staff, they can explain their values. They can sit across from someone and say: ‘This is how we do things here’.

They can talk about what matters and how they want the individuals in their care to be looked after. That might include knowing the little details, like how someone takes their tea or what helps them feel calm.

Those things don’t just sit on a checklist. They come from conversation.

So, when managers have to go outside of that and use an agency, it can feel uncomfortable.

Because agencies don’t always have the best reputation.

There’s a perception that they’re just about filling hours – that they’re not always focused on the right training, or the right skills, or whether their staff actually fit the values of a home.

And if that’s been a manager’s experience, it’s understandable why they’d hesitate.

But the reality is, managers can’t do everything.

Staff go off sick. Someone might suddenly need one-to-one care. Rotas don’t always work out the way you want them to. And when that happens, something has to give.

If agencies aren’t used, the pressure lands somewhere else. Usually, that’s on the existing team.

They work longer hours. They stretch themselves further. Managers step in, cover shifts, and keep everything going.

But that’s not sustainable.

Over time, it affects morale. It affects energy. Ultimately, it can affect the quality of care.

So maybe the question isn’t ‘Should we use agencies?’ – it’s ‘How do we use the right agencies properly?’

Because there is a better way – and that starts with asking better questions.

Not just ‘Can you cover this shift?’ but ‘Do you understand how we work?’ ‘Do you understand our values?’ ‘Do you understand what matters to the people we care for?’

Because these aren’t just arms and legs being sent into a home. These are people caring for other people. People who might be distressed, who might need reassurance, who might need someone to sit with them and hold their hand.

That kind of care doesn’t happen by accident. It comes from understanding.

And that understanding only happens when there’s a proper conversation – when an agency takes the time to learn about a service before they start supplying staff, and when managers feel confident enough to be clear about what they expect.

That’s when it becomes a partnership.

And that’s where something shifts – because when the right agency relationship is in place, you start to feel the difference across the whole home.

It’s not just about filling a gap on a rota, it’s about people arriving who genuinely care, who take the time to understand residents, and who support your team rather than stretching it further.

You can see it in the small moments – a calmer environment, a team that isn’t running on empty, residents receiving the attention they deserve.

That’s what #feelthelove really means in practice. It’s not a slogan – it’s the feeling that everyone is working with the same goal: to care properly.

When that happens, using an agency doesn’t feel like a last resort. It feels like doing the right thing.

 – Deborah Stock, Founder and Managing Director of Care Connection Partners