Advice for a dad

[thegoose1234]

Dear Mums net please accept my apologises but I was advised to seek help on this web site as my wife has had a major accident and is and will be in hospital for a long time.

I am dad to 3 children and used t working away from home each day. The one good thing is its the holidays and I have got time to be at home and care for my kids.

We live south of Guildford and need to urgently find long term help to help me with my kids 13, 11 and 8 years old, can anyone advise me where to start to find good young hard working couple to help me through this very sad time and organise our lives?

Local authority will have a Children's Information Service (or similar)/which will list the available child care in your area. From childminders to school link clubs.

There are some agencies that will provide a nanny or aupair.

If that is out of your price bracket and you are struggling, you could try speaking to the children's school and seeing if there is a support worker to help them through the emotional turmoil. Perhaps, and I just thinking out loud, reach out to Social Services or a Health Visitor and see if they can assist in any way?

i agree you need to speak to social services, health visitors and the school about what the most cost effective and safe options are, between them you should get some helpful advice. Can you post on your mumsnet local too (that's the talkboard for your local area) - it'd help if you had a list of the days and time ranges you need help put together. I'm sorry to see your family is in this awful situation at this time.

Thank you for this advice and will look into my local support as you suggest. Its my first time on mumsnet and will try to work this out!

I guess the kids are at school during term?

How early do you start? Late do you finish?

Basically it is wrap around you are looking for. Is there an after school club or breakfast club at any of their schools? (I am assuming not all at same school)

Does e.g. the 13 yr old have school friends she could go to after school somedays? Its nit a long term solution but under the circs I am sure other parents might help out for a few months.

find good young hard working couple

This seems an odd way of putting it. However if homestart run in your area they might be a good start.

You need to make a list of your problems. Ideally in two parts, things I need to do know, things that have a bit more time.

Do you have any holiday you can take? If applicable, do you have life insurance with critical illness cover on ypur mortgage?How long term, as in if you back me her carer now would you be entitled to any benefits?