Since Care.com launched, we have seen phenomenal growth of families and carers wishing to connect on our platform, looking for care and care jobs.
Why not tell us your care story?
We would love to hear from you — about your care challenges, successes and even some of those things that didn’t go so well (our goal would be to make them better for the next person).
Almost nine years ago, I was a postgraduate student and mother of a small child. My studies were not going to finish themselves, and I had to find care that would work around my timetable and that we could afford. After an unhappy trial at a local private nursery, I tried looking for at home childcare — searching on noticeboards, local newspapers and eventually calling a lady who posted a card in our local shop advertising a local nanny agency. Three candidates came for interviewing, and as a conscientious employer I checked references, qualifications and prepared first interviews, as well as nanny tax paperwork.
What made me choose Sarah? The way her eyes lit up when she spoke about her childcare experience, the way she was clearly delighted to spend time with a little chap who couldn’t speak yet, and that she was relaxed that some days I would be working from home.
The frustration of those early weeks of searching, as well as the required hard work of reference and CRB (now DBS) checking over, I was able to complete my studies and then return to work.
However, during that time I felt that there was very little in the way of a network for parents like me, either to look for care or to connect with each other or carers.
Fast forward a few years later, childcare and its cost is at the heart of political debate (anybody dare hope some tax relief might be on its way?!). On-line parenting forums allow us to connect with each other, share tips and advice. And great networks such as Care.com exist to connect and find care.
So, what are you waiting for? Grab a paper and pen, send an email, tweet us or message us on our Facebook account. We promise to read them all and we may even share some of them with the other families on Care.com (if you are happy for us to do so)!
