From 30 October 2026, employers will have stronger legal responsibilities to protect their workforce from harassment by third parties, including customers, clients and service users. For homecare providers, where careworkers routinely work alone in people’s homes and may come into contact with family members, friends and others, this is particularly significant.
This practical session will explain what the new duty means for homecare employers, the steps providers should take to prevent harassment, and how to respond effectively when concerns arise.
For homecare providers, this duty lands in uniquely challenging territory. Your workers deliver care in people's homes — environments you do not control — and often work alone, without a colleague or manager nearby. The risk of harassment, whether verbal, physical, or sexual, is a daily reality for many careworkers, and the new law requires you to have active systems in place to prevent and respond to it.
Our speakers bring together legal expertise, sector evidence, and frontline experience:
Anna Dabek and Libby Hubbard, Anthony Collins Solicitors, will set out what the new duty means in law — what counts as third-party harassment, when employer liability arises, and what "all reasonable steps" looks like in practice for homecare providers.
Michelle Dumont, Homecare Association, will draw on the Association's work on harassment in the homecare workforce, including what the evidence tells us about the scale and nature of harassment care workers are experiencing — and what the sector needs to do in response.
Stella Shaw, Director and Registered Manager at StellarCare will share her practical experience of challenging, addressing, and preventing third-parties from harassing her staff.
Whether you are a large provider with an HR team or a small business without dedicated support, this session will give you practical tools to meet the new duty and protect your workers.
Meet your speakers:
Libby Hubbard - Senior Professional Support Lawyer - Anthony Collins LLP
Libby is a professional support lawyer and senior associate in the pensions and employment team. She works across all sectors to ensure clients receive current, practical and sector-specific guidance on developments in case law and legislation. She also manages the team's knowledge management system, supporting the delivery of timely, client-focused advice tailored to sector needs.
Having qualified as an employment lawyer at a large international law firm, Libby has built substantial experience across a number of firms before joining Anthony Collins. She particularly enjoys translating complex legal decisions and legislative changes into practical guidance for clients. This includes delivering regular legal updates, bespoke and general training sessions, and developing resources and products to help clients navigate legal developments with confidence.
Anna Dabek - Partner - Anthony Collins Solicitors
As head of the firm’s employment and pensions team, Anna specialises in advising social care and charity sector clients on a broad range of employment and workforce matters. With over 15 years’ experience, she acts for charities, owner-managed businesses, and private equity-backed providers delivering home care, supported living, elderly care, and services for children and people with learning disabilities.
Michelle Dumont - Policy Specialist - Homecare Association
Michelle is part of the Homecare Association policy team, leading on the homecare workforce. Michelle has more than 12 years' experience working on policy issues relating to employment, care, disability and ageing. Her role covers supporting member enquiries via our helpline; promoting best practice and representation and influencing, meeting with officials and partner organisations.
Stella Shaw - Director and Registered Manager - StellarCare NW Ltd
Stella, a registered nurse since 2000 with a specialisation in cardiology, advanced to the role of junior sister before transitioning into education. She spent 12 years as a senior lecturer, pioneering the use of simulated technology in nursing training and presenting her published work globally. In 2018, she founded StellarCare NW, a nurse-led domiciliary care agency, gaining CQC registration in 2019. Now delivering over 1500 care hours weekly, StellarCare NW is expanding the services it proves to include complex care and learning disability and Autism. Stella is passionate about enhancing home care through a nurse-led approach, blending roles to focus on delivering quality care at home while reducing hospital admissions. She successfully tackled recruitment challenges by securing a Sponsorship Licence, enabling the hiring of workers to serve two local authorities Cheshire West and Chester and Wirral Borough Council. Stella is also a Championing Social Care Ambassador, serves on the Care Sector Got Talent committee, and sits on the Board of Directors for Partners in Care.