For families
Family Care Planning Checklist
Most families start by searching for a job title. It works better to start with the week you actually have.
1.Map the week
- Write out seven days, hour by hour, as they really are
- Mark the pressure points: mornings, the school run, bedtime, weekends
- Highlight anything that regularly gets dropped
- Note fixed commitments: work patterns, clubs, appointments
2.Decide what you need
- Childcare, household support, elderly support, or a combination
- Regular hours or ad-hoc and emergency cover
- Live-in, live-out, daytime, evenings or overnight
- Must-haves versus nice-to-haves (driving, languages, cooking, SEN experience)
3.Budget honestly
- Agree a gross hourly or weekly figure, not a net one
- Add employer National Insurance and pension where you are the employer
- Allow for holiday pay and sick pay
- Include expenses: activities, travel, mileage, food
- Check eligibility for government childcare support
4.Prepare to hire
- Write a one-page role description with duties and hours
- Decide who will carry out checks and take up references
- Agree your trial arrangement and how it will be paid
- Set a review date one month after the start
Would you rather talk it through?
Our team can help you work out what support fits your household, at no cost.
Speak to our team