Lucy Jackson began in care at 17. After 25 years she is launching Prosper at Home from Queen Street, Droitwich Spa, to support people at home in Worcestershire.
Lucy Jackson took her first job in care at 17. Twenty-five years later she has opened an office of her own on Queen Street in Droitwich Spa, about six miles north-east of Worcester, and put her name to a new independent home-care business, Prosper at Home.
The firm provides care and support for people who want to stay living in their own homes, and it is taking enquiries now for all of its services. Prosper at Home is well into the Care Quality Commission (CQC) registration process, and while that is completed it can already provide the support that does not need to be regulated.
Corrected 29 September: an earlier version said Prosper at Home was not yet taking customers.
From frontline care to her own firm
Her career has covered most of the jobs in the sector. She lists:
- frontline care
- management
- service improvement
- quality roles
What she wanted at the end of it was something smaller and more personal than the services she had worked in. “Care is about so much more than completing a list of tasks,” she says. “It’s about the relationship you build with someone, helping them maintain their independence and making sure they can continue to live the life they want in the place they call home.”
“I wanted to create something that felt personal and genuinely relationship-led,” she adds. “Prosper at Home is about enabling people to thrive at home, with a little support where they need it, rather than taking over their lives.”
What the service will offer
The business is care and support in people’s own homes. Its website sets out four areas of help:
- Personal daily living support: dressing, bathing and mobility
- Social engagements and lifestyle: friendly visits, conversation and help getting out and about
- Household support: light housekeeping, laundry and meal preparation
- Post-hospital and specialist services: short-term support at home after a hospital discharge, and services for people living with dementia or other long-term conditions
The website names Worcester, Droitwich and Malvern as the areas it covers. It says the firm will deliberately work with a limited number of customers, and that its staff are DBS checked.
Growing slowly
Lucy is hiring. She wants a small team of what the firm calls Care Professionals, people who share her values, and she has already appointed Rebecca Hatch as manager.
“I want Prosper to grow carefully and sustainably,” she says. “For me, quality has to come before growth. I want to know our customers, know our Care Professionals and build a service that people can trust.”
Longer term, she hopes the business will create jobs locally and become a provider that families across Worcestershire trust.
Why now
She is frank about the size of the step.
“Starting a business after 25 years in the care sector is a huge step, but it feels like the right time,” she says. “I’ve spent a long time learning what good care looks like, what matters to people and where services can do things differently. Prosper is my opportunity to put that experience into practice.”
Getting in touch
Prosper at Home is at 23 Queen Street, Droitwich Spa, WR9 8LA. Families who want to talk about support can call 01905 783737, email Lucy.jackson@prosperathome.co.uk or visit prosperathome.co.uk.
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