Carer at Home

Every person who intends to establish and operate a Home-Care Service or a person who intends to work as a Home Carer must have reached the age of 18 and must have not exceeded the pensionable-age limit, as determined in accordance with the Social Insurance Law.

The application form for the Registration of a Home Carer or a Home-Care Service can be submitted either through the PSC Cyprus or directly to the competent authority:

Social Welfare Services
Ministry of Labour, Welfare and Social Insurance
63 Prodromou,
2063 Strovolos, Nicosia
Tel.: +357 22406701, +357 22406712
Fax: +357 22667907
Email: central.sws@sws.mlsi.gov.cy, ipapatheodoulou@sws.mlsi.gov.cy
Website: http://www.mlsi.gov.cy/sws

1. The application form should be accompanied by the following documents:

   • copy of identity card for Cypriot citizens or the Certificate of Registration for Member State citizens (Yellow slip) or EU Passport of the Home Carer and each staff member (a copy of residence and employment permit for third-country nationals);
   • copy of school-leaving certificate (secondary school), Member State citizens or third-country nationals should provide a certificate from a recognised secondary school in their country for a three-year successful attendance which must be officially translated into Greek;
   •  copy of training certificate* for a, recognised and evaluated, care and handling-of-people-in-need-of-care training programme of at least one hundred (100) hours duration or a two-year diploma/degree of tertiary or higher education on the care and handling of people in need of care;
   • a training certificate* in “First Aid at Work – Emergencies”, excludes individuals which hold a general nursing degree and are registered in the Nursing Register;
   • copy of a Greek language certificate* at the B1 level (for Member State citizens or third-country nationals);
   • original (medical) Health Certificates: blood tests for infectious diseases (hepatitis B (HBsAg) and C (anti-HCV), AIDS HIV (HIV I&II antibodies), syphilis (VDRL) and dermoreaction MANTOUX], food handler certificate (stool-sample analysis) and chest X-ray reports. Where appropriate, vaccination for infectious diseases should be carried out, to avoid retesting, and a vaccination certificate should be presented;
   • original medical certificate issued by a specialist Psychiatrist attesting to the intellectual and mental health of the Carer (in case the Home Carer is referred to a Special Psychiatrist by his/her physician, who issues and renews the medical Health certificate);
   • original Certificate of Clear Criminal Record (by the Cyprus Police);
   • original certificate, in accordance with Article 22(6) of the “Prevention and Combating of Sexual Abuse and Sexual Exploitation of Children and Child Pornography Law N.91(I)/2014”, certifying that the person has not been convicted of any sexual offence against children (by the Cyprus Police);
   • copy of a non-winding (non-bankruptcy) certificate by the Registrar of Companies and Official Receiver for the Home-Care Service Provider or the Home Carer, in accordance with the Bankruptcy Law, Chapter 5;

   ( * Persons who meet the conditions but do not hold the certificates mentioned will be given a period of six (6) months to obtain them.)

There are no fees applicable.

Administrative Action Against a Competent Authority’s Decision

Any person may file an Administrative Action at the Administrative court against a decision, act or omission of any competent authority or body.

Pursuant to Article 146 of the Constitution, an Administrative Action may be lodged within 75 days from the date of the decision or act or omission or from the day when such decision or act or omission was notified to the applicant.

The Administrative Court acts as a cassation Court and not as a substantive Court. In other words, the Administrative Court may:

I. Dismiss the Administrative Action
II. Annul wholly or partially the contested decision or act
III. Compel the relevant authority or body to take a certain action

After a decision is annulled, the authority and/or public body must reverse things back to the state prior to when the concerned decision and/or act was executed and reexamine.

Appeal Information

An Appeal may be filed against the Administrative Court’s first-instance decision within a period of 42 days from the date such decision was given.

At the Supreme Court (Court of Appeal Section) hearing, the contested issue of the appeal remains the legality of the decision or act already adjudicated for.

However, such revision of the legality of the decision or act is solely examined on the matters and the extent that the two parties have limited the reasons in the relevant notice of appeal.

The decision adopted by the Supreme Court is considered final in relation to the matter that has been judged.

Until the adoption of legislation on Home Care, the Director of Social Welfare Services applies the Terms and Conditions for the provision of Home-Care Services as set by the Director of Social Welfare Services.

Terms and Conditions for the Provision of Home-Care Services

Home-Care Services and Home Carers are obliged to comply with the provisions of the Terms and Conditions for the provision of Home Care and, specifically, to ensure that the requirements regarding the following are met:

• the qualifications of the carer and any other individual employed by a Home Care Service and as a Home Carer;
• the arrangements available for the provision of care;
• the quality and level of care provided;
• keeping records or records in relation to staff, people under their care, as well as contracts between the Home Care Service or the Home Carer and a person under their care.

Regular inspections are carried out by District Social Welfare Officers to establish that Home Care Services and Home Carers meet the provisions of the relevant Terms and Conditions for home care provision.