Caring for a disabled child can be like working a full-time job. In fact, there are few jobs quite as difficult or time consuming as taking care of a special needs child. According to a report released this year by Working Families and Unum in the UK, 93 percent of parents with a disabled child want to work but cannot due to the inflexibility of their role as carer.
Few Companies Offer Flexibility
Unfortunately for busy parents of disabled children, finding a job can be almost impossible. After all, you already have an ocean of responsibilities on your plate. Your child needs to be taken to and picked up from school, taken to their regular hospital appointments, and cared for when they are ill, which can be quite often. And that's only a fraction of the work.
Because of the inflexible nature of caring for a special needs child, your ideal position would be one that allows you some flexibility. You need somewhere close, as well as a boss who understands your situation and allows you the time you need in between working, and even while working!
While your situation might look hopeless, if you look in the right places, it is anything but.
You Could Work from Home
When caring for a disabled child, your time is limited. That rules out jobs that require you to drive long distances or work long hours without a break. However, you could save time and earn money by working from home.
Here are several jobs you could do from home.
- Dog Walking: This will give your disabled child a chance for interaction. Since the 1960s, studies have shown that dogs can help disabled children, a finding that has given rise to therapy dogs. Dogs can help a withdrawn child to socialize and develop bonds. Imagine, you can earn an income and provide therapy for your child.
- Blogging: Using a blogging site such as Wordpress.com, you could blog about just about anything. Money is made through affiliate marketing, Amazon ads, and AdSense, to name just a few.
- Freelance Writing: If you like writing, you could write from home for one of the many article sites online. You can then care for your child while writing about your interests.
If you are struggling to find work from home opportunities, try flexible job sites like flexjobs.com. These sites are tailored specifically toward people who require their job to be flexible.
Disability Care Can Allow You to Have a Career
If you are worried that you might never have a real career, which is something that can happen if your time is completely taken up by caring, you should hire a disability carer. Disability carers or nurses can provide your child with care while you earn money and boost your career.
Recently, a qualification review conducted by the Community Services and Health Industry Skills Council (CS&HISC) resulted in an improvement in the quality of aged care qualifications. But how does this affect disability care? The new qualification at Certificate 3 level allows care workers to specialize in both aged care and disability care.
Naturally, this equips carers with even more skills than would have been possible before 2016. You needn't worry about how qualified your disability carer is then. If your career is too important to discard, hire a disability carer. They are trained to support your child emotionally and physically for as long or as little as you like.
Caring for a disabled child while working is no mean feat. Hire a disability worker so you have the time to work and develop your career. You and your child will benefit in the end.
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