Working in Micro Teams

Micro teams can be a great way for self-employed carers to share care, support families, and avoid working in isolation. When they work well, everyone benefits: carers get flexibility, families get continuity, and clients have a small, trusted team around them. But if boundaries aren’t clear, problems can creep in — and in some cases a team can even be mistaken for an unregistered agency.

What is a Micro Team

A micro team is a small group of self-employed carers who support the same client or family. Each carer remains fully independent, with their own contract and own invoices. If one carer invoices for everyone and then pays the others, this is no longer a micro team — it’s an agency, and would legally require CQC registration. The ideal size is usually two to four carers. That’s enough for reliable cover without becoming difficult to coordinate.

Why They Work

• Families get consistent care and cover when someone is away
• Carers have more flexibility for holidays or emergencies
• Updates and knowledge are shared across the team
• Working together provides peer support instead of going it alone

Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

• Cover Imbalance: one carer regularly covers for others but struggles to get cover themselves. Avoid this by agreeing in advance how cover will be shared fairly and putting it in writing.
• Feeling Managed: if one carer takes charge, others can feel like employees. Make sure decisions are made jointly and every carer has equal say.
• Shared Contracts or Invoices: if only one carer signs a contract or sends an invoice, it looks like managed care. Always keep contracts and invoices separate.

Best Practice

The simplest way to protect everyone is to agree expectations at the start. PocketCarer has created a Microprovider Collaboration Agreement, available to download in the resources section of our website, to help set this out clearly. The Pocket Carer app itself is designed with micro teams in mind. Each carer can keep their own records, invoices, and contracts within their own account, while still being able to share daily notes, care plans, and updates with the rest of the team. This keeps everyone independent but joined-up, which is exactly how a micro team should work.