What does an activity coordinator do in a care home?

An activity coordinator plans, runs and reviews activities that help care home residents stay engaged, connected and active, but does not provide front-line personal care. They design individual and group programmes, organise outings and visitors, adapt activities for people with dementia or limited mobility, and work with staff and families to learn what matters to each resident.

At a glance

• Skills for Care describes activities workers as planning individual and group activities, booking entertainers and organising trips.
• The government’s care workforce pathway lists activity co-ordinator as a distinct role that does not involve front-line care.
• Typical qualifications include a Level 2 Award or Level 3 Certificate in activity provision, though induction and experience matter too.
• Activities should be person-centred, using each resident’s life history, abilities and preferences.
• Ask whether the home has a dedicated coordinator and how activities run at weekends and evenings.

What does an activity coordinator do?

The role has several strands, drawn from national workforce guidance. Not every home divides them in the same way, so use the table as a guide to what to ask about.

The role also includes evaluating how activities are going. The government framework expects coordinators to track progress with the wider team and to gather feedback, including from non-verbal cues, so that the programme changes as residents’ needs and moods change. It says activity co-ordinators should be able to adapt activities for people with dementia, sensory or physical impairments, autism or learning disabilities, and should work with people who draw on care, staff, families and external professionals.

How is the role different from a care worker?

Some homes share activity duties across the care team, so the title matters less than whether the work gets done. An activity coordinator does not provide front-line care, so they are not the person who helps with washing, dressing or toileting. They still need to recognise when someone needs direct support and call on care colleagues, and they complete mandatory training such as basic life support and awareness of fluid and nutritional needs.

Care workers also support activity as part of their daily work, for example by chatting with residents and helping them join in. Our guide on what carers do in a care home explains their side, and who works in a care home shows how the roles fit together.

What skills and qualifications do they have?

Skills for Care suggests the role suits people who are good at motivating others, organising events and managing time, and who are comfortable with digital tools. Induction covers health and safety, first aid and moving and handling, and further training such as autism awareness, communication skills or dementia care may be offered.

The care workforce pathway lists the Level 2 Award in Supporting Activity Provision in Social Care and the Level 3 Certificate in Activity Provision in Social Care, together with dementia training, falls prevention, infection prevention and control, food hygiene and mental health first aid. Experience with vulnerable adults helps, and can come from placements, volunteering, a traineeship or an apprenticeship.

How should activity be person-centred?

The role should tailor activities to each resident’s needs, preferences, abilities and life history, and co-design them with residents and families. NICE’s quality standard on mental wellbeing says residents should be offered meaningful activity during their day, and that it should be tailored to cultural background and communication needs, including for people with dementia and those near the end of life. Read our guide to meaningful activities in care homes for the standard and examples.

What should you ask when you visit?

• Is there a dedicated activity coordinator, and how many hours do they work?
• Who runs activities in the evenings, at weekends and when the coordinator is away?
• How do they find out what each resident likes, and where is it recorded?
• How do they support people who stay in their rooms or have advanced dementia?
• How do residents and families give feedback on the programme?
• What outings are planned, and what do they cost? Check the contract for extra charges; see care home contracts and whether fees are all-inclusive.

Our full visiting checklist covers staffing, food and safety alongside activities.

How can families work with the coordinator?

Tell the coordinator about the person’s work, hobbies, faith, favourite music and who and what they miss. The Alzheimer’s Society suggests describing how the person likes to celebrate birthdays and other occasions, and noting any reminiscence that upsets them so it can be recorded in the care plan. You can offer practical help such as bringing in a familiar craft or joining a trip, if the home welcomes it. See also how to make a care home room feel like home.

Frequently asked questions

Does every care home have an activity coordinator?

Not necessarily. Some homes employ a dedicated coordinator, while in others care staff share the role. Ask who is responsible, how many hours are covered and what happens when that person is away.

What qualifications does an activity coordinator need?

The national guidance lists useful awards rather than a single required qualification, and induction and experience with vulnerable adults help. Common qualifications are the Level 2 Award or Level 3 Certificate in activity provision, plus dementia and other training.

Do activity coordinators work with people with dementia?

Yes. The national framework expects them to adapt activities for people with dementia, sensory or physical impairments, autism or learning disabilities, and to understand the role of reminiscence. Ask how the home runs sessions for people with advanced dementia.

Are activity coordinators allowed to provide personal care?

The role does not involve front-line care, so personal care is done by care workers and nurses. Coordinators should recognise when a resident needs direct support and alert care staff.

Where to get help next

Use how to choose a care home to weigh activities against other factors, compare homes with the compare tool, and shortlist homes through Find care.

Sources

• GOV.UK: Care workforce pathway, activity co-ordinator role category
• Skills for Care: Activities worker
• NICE: QS50 Quality statement 1, Participation in meaningful activity
• Alzheimer’s Society: Supporting a person with dementia in a care home

Reviewed by The Care Panel team on 9 November 2026. This guide is general information about care in England, not legal, medical or financial advice. Rules and rates change; check with your council or an adviser before making decisions.