Does anyone work as a carer?

[Peanut82]

I currently work for the NHS but only on a 12 hour contract to fit around childcare/dp job.
I've seen a few vacancies advertised for caters recently and was thinking of applying if it's something I can fit around school pick up/drop off.
Does anyone do this for a job? What's it like?

Most care work roles in care homes involve shift work, which doesn't fit around childcare, unless DP can help out at either end of the school day. I'm a support worker in residential children's homes. The early shifts are: 7am to 2.30pm and the late shifts are 2pm to 9.30pm. Some parents with school aged children do waking nights: 9.30pm to 7am, as they see their children while they are at home and sleep while they're at school. If your DP is always home overnight this might work for you. It tends to be 4 nights on, 4 nights off. The work is usually a bit of cleaning, checking the dates of food in fridge & cupboards and obviously, caring for the young people if they wake up (this is rare in the homes I work in). Hope this helps!

I used to do it. It doesn't fit around school at all. It's exhausting and non stop. It's always under staffed. I frequently didn't get a break, let alone leave on time.

Home care agencies claim you can work around your other commitments. Then when you apply they say you can't and they have set hours.

Another role in the homes I work in, that fits around childcare, is that of Housekeeper. It's mostly cleaning, but also laundry and sometimes involves managing the food order. Our Housekeepers work 4 hours a day (usually starting around 9.30am, so ideal for school drop off) Monday-Friday. You don't have direct contact with the young people, but you are still involved in their welfare and do get to know them over time.

Thanks for the replies, doesn't sound do able for me. Back to the drawing board