5 things to know about balancing childcare with other caregiving responsibilities

Helping staff connect with the full range of benefits and flexibility available can help ease the burden of those balancing work and caregiving at home.

Caregiving can be a profound experience with an opportunity to forge a close bond with a loved one, but for your workforce’s carers who are already balancing work and care, it can significantly impact other relationships.

Here are five things to know about the realities of having so many plates spinning:

There are over 1.3 million sandwich carers, those caring for children and older relatives, in the UK; the same as the population of Leeds and Bradford. Not only are they likely to be in positions of influence in the workplace (35-55 age group), but the pressures of their roles mean more than a quarter are experiencing depression or stress.
Parents caring for children with SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) alongside sibling without these characteristics can seek resources and support for their non-disabled child, including from www.sibs.org. Being a sibling can mean contributing to care, early exposure to life’s realities and challenges, including bereavement, and often less time with parents.
Honest, age-appropriate conversations are key when helping children understand what their parents are doing when they are caring. This can help them develop healthy relationships with the person that their parent cares for, as well as understand why their parent may be absent at times. In some cases, it can also help prepare for and understand bereavement.
Just as Yurtle advocates for and helps with building a resilient care team to help with supporting sick, disabled and older people, the same applies to childcare. A mix of family members, friends, neighbours, other school parents and paid childcare professionals is better able to flex to the demands of working parents, particularly when they have other caring responsibilities.
As with every caring role, but particularly for working parents, self-care is an essential part of achieving balance. Being able to attend to caring and parenting tasks, have a fulfilling career and maintain a sense of self can be extremely challenging and carers in this position can often feel like they are struggling or even failing in all areas.

Managers of people with these extensive responsibilities should help their staff connect with the full range of benefits and flexibility available, and also avoid prioritising one over the other. Caregiving responsibilities might be more challenging, but time off and flexibility around childcare will help parents feel successful and present in that role.

Ensuring that employees access wellbeing benefits, as well as any geared specifically towards parents and carers, will help them stay well, working and feeling fulfilled.

Companies with a limited budget for employee benefits might wish to pursue a flexible benefits platform so that employees with more complex circumstances can set their priorities themselves.