What quailities would you look for if you had to hire staff to take care of your disabled child?

Question

My son is 8 years old with Autism and I have recently been given the opportunity to hire direct care staff to come in and work with him in all aspects of his life. The person will be taking care of all personal needs (toileting, bathing, dressing) transporting to therapy sessions, cooking and cleaning up after him. I will be home a lot of the time, but there will be alot of time when I will not be around (ie when I am at work and activities with my other child) so I have to find someone that I will be able to trust with a child who is mostly non-verbal. I have never had to hire people to watch him before, except the young lady who is currently working with him while I am at work. To those of you who have gone thru this before, what should I look for to find high quality people, I want to have low turn over so I want to do the best that I can to hire the right people the first time around.

Answer 1

Look at the agency itself first. Make sure that the person has prior experience and references from other families that they have worked with so that you can contact them and find out how they feel about that person and why they no longer work for that family. Ask his doctor if he knows of any agenices that he or she could refer you to.

Answer 2

1. I've had good luck finding people on Craig's list. But cast your net wide and use multiple sources for gathering candidates. If there is a good agency in your area, use it. It will cost more but so what. (Penny wise, pound foolish, etc.)
2. Trust your instincts--don't hire someone you have reservations about just because they seem well qualified.
3. Look at how long the person has stayed in other positions. It doesn't matter if they have excellent reasons for leaving each position. People who job hop, job hop.
4. Check references and read between the lines. This includes a criminal background check (but don't put too much faith in this).
5. Install security cameras (I'm serious about this one--put them on a private webcam so you can see your son during the day.)
6. Experience is less important than being smart, caring, willing to learn, having a work ethic--and most of all for this position, limitless patience and a sense of humor.
7. Make sure you understand their other obligations (family, etc.) and how they will handle them. Make sure they have thought through contingency plans. What happens if their car doesn't start, if their child is sick, etc.
8. Don't hire someone who answers yes or no questions with something other than a yes or no.
9. In the timeless words of our 40th president, "trust but verify."
10. And finally, hire slowly, fire quickly. Most people do it the other way and this never turns out well. Hopefully hiring slowly will obviate any need to fire, but if it needs doing do it, don't wait around until the situation worsens.

Oh, and don't rule out older candidates if they are physically fit and can do the necessary lifting (or you can install tools to aid in the lifting); they can be some of the most loyal and patient caretakers.

Answer 3

Have you contacted members of your local Autism Society of America chapter? You need someone who has some theory of Applied Behavioral Analysis. They should be working toward becoming a behavioral therapist. At the very least they should be a parent (of an autistic child) who has read the ME book by Lovaas

This part is going to hurt and I'm sorry for that, but you don't need me sugarcoating things. If your son is 8 and still needs help with toileting, you probably need someone who is more firm than you are. Unless he has another diagnosis on top of autism there is no reason that he cannot be potty trained. Hiring someone who is going to baby him is only going to cause him to have less independence later in life. I'm sorry if this hurts. I know it does, but I think it needs to be said.

Answer 4

I agree with Mawmaw. You need someone who can communicate effectively. I currently work with people who are disabled. This is a very challenging job. You should get someone who display patience and one who can tolerate any kind of behavior. Have a police background check and be specific when doing so. Installing cameras is a good idea. But remember they are places where abuse can take place and you will never get to see those. Have you ever thought about the person who is currently watching him? Why not re-hire her since she already knows his behavior and patterns. You do not want too much strangers in your home much less looking after your child. Good luck in your search.

Answer 5

i think you need to do a back ground check on this person, make sure they have not been in jal for abuse or anything like that, also get refrences and check them dont just get them check them., make sure you aslk why they are no longer with them.put in a video camera to make sure she isnt abusing your child look at the camera everyday. be careful and good luck.

Answer 6

I cant answer what qualitites I would look for although I think a degree in that field would be good. that would show me they really were wanting to apply themselves to it. But after seeing the news I would have a hidden camera going just for my peace of mind. m

Answer 7

Knowledgable, experienced, caring, cheerful, respectful of you, your values, & your son, of course.
He/she must be patient, loving, sincerely interested in your son,
willing to work holidays, if that's important to you...

Also,high morals standards, honesty, would be on my list.
Intelligence,or high IQ is not as crucial as being appropriately
loving to your beloved son.

It may not be easy to find, but don't stop at ONE good referral!

Answer 8

Try to get a criminal background check on them as well, you don't need no pervert taking care of your child. Best of luck to you......