Rachael

My Requirements

Hello, I'm looking for a special person to help support my family. I'm a single parent with several chronic health conditions, and both of my children have additional needs - although you wouldn’t know it to meet them! They are both really bright and fun to be around.

Both my children are autistic, my daughter is 11 (going on 16) , very creative and pretty easy going. She also has ME/CFS and a bunch of other chronic health conditions, her condition is progressing and not well enough to attend holiday clubs this year. She only manages part time school
My son is 7 autistic, demand avoidant and a little trickier, but not a nightmare either . If you keep his brain occupied and do Lego , chess, board games and generally give him lots of attention he will shine.
I’m v flexible in terms of time.
I’m also keen to develop an ongoing relationship with someone who could do evening babysitting/ occasionally take my son out to give his sister more peace and quiet .

My kids like quiet home time.. we live near the river and a mosey down there to paddle is usually excitement enough.
The childcare is largely respite for me as I’m a single parent with a lot of chronic health problems as well. I’m also studying.
I’d love to see your cv and references

I'm looking for somebody to initially do a regular afternoon per week , probably 3-7pm with me still there to start with , plus ad hoc babysitting in the evening, I currently never go out! flexible as to which day except for not Wednesdays. The hours required may increase with time as I am able to work more.

The work is to be really flexible, and I hope fun. It might be playing dinosaurs/ lego or taking son swimming or emptying the dishwasher, walking the dogs, caring for guinea pigs or coming up with some other creative activity - both kids are very arty and highly intelligent. If you are willing to sometimes help with lifting or moving heavy things I can't manage ( within reason obviously) that would be amazing. No personal care. I hope with this support in time the kids might be able to access some other activities as between everyone's needs this isn't currently possible.

I'd expect you to do a bit of reading, or have experience in how to approach somebody with PDA or ME. It is essential to be a driver, and to like dogs.