Paediatric Home Care CareGivers

When paediatric home care helps

Families often book a CareGiver in situations like these:

• A child recovering at home after surgery or a hospital stay, with new medications or wound care.
• An ongoing condition such as asthma, epilepsy, diabetes, or a congenital condition that needs day-to-day support.
• Complex needs involving a feeding tube, tracheostomy, oxygen, or other medical equipment.
• School-hours cover so a child with care needs can keep attending, or care during the school day at home.
• A parent returning to work, travelling, or needing scheduled respite while care continues safely.
• A recent diagnosis where parents want a trained pair of hands while they learn the routine.

What a paediatric CareGiver does

• Administers prescribed medications on schedule at the correct paediatric dose (oral and injectable where licensed).
• Monitors vital signs and watches for changes in breathing, colour, temperature, and alertness.
• Supports feeding, including bottle, oral, or tube feeding where licensed and within the child's care plan.
• Carries out post-operative and wound care using the technique set by the child's clinical team, where licensed.
• Helps manage chronic conditions — inhalers, glucose checks, seizure observation — following the prescribed plan.
• Keeps care developmentally appropriate, with play, routine, and reassurance suited to the child's age.
• Documents every session in the live care sheet, visible to parents and authorised family in real time.
• Escalates concerns to the parent and the child's clinician, and uses the SOS button when needed.

Parents stay involved, and what stays with the clinician

SoftCare connects you with independent CareGivers; it is not a care provider and gives no medical advice. A CareGiver follows the plan your child's doctor or specialist sets — they do not diagnose or change it. You decide how hands-on to be: stay in the room, step out for school runs or work, or follow the live care sheet from elsewhere. You can chat with a CareGiver free before booking to confirm they are right for your child.

Frequently asked questions

Are SoftCare CareGivers trained for children's care?

You can filter for CareGivers who list the Paediatric Care specialty. Every CareGiver is verified for identity and a professional licence, and the shield badge confirms those checks passed. The badge confirms identity and licence, not clinical skill, so review profiles, qualifications, and ratings, and chat before you book.

Can a CareGiver cover school hours or be there while I work?

Yes. Sessions are bookable up to 30 days ahead, with a one-hour minimum and a typical session of 2–4 hours, so you can set regular cover for school hours, a work day, or planned respite. Free cancellation applies up to 24 hours before the session.

How do I stay informed while I'm not with my child?

Each session has a live care sheet recording medications, vital signs, feeding, mood, and observations, which you and authorised family can follow in real time from anywhere. Patient Premium ($7.99/month) lets you export it as PDF or JSON to share with your child's clinician.

What happens in an emergency during a session?

The SOS button sends a one-tap alert to your designated contact and the SoftCare safety team during a session. In a life-threatening emergency, call your local emergency number first, then use SOS.

Related

• All specialties
• ICU-Level Care
• Medication Management
• A practical checklist for choosing a home caregiver