I've been approached several times to know if I would take on private care work. (I don't). I have to say, I've been quite shocked at times at how little those trying to engage me seem to want to know about me or want to tell me about what exactly the job entails! What they are most interested in, it seems, is how little can they get away with paying me! Talking to one woman, having explained that I don't take private work, I told her what she should be looking for (considering she was offering me the job of staying regularly overnight with a 92 year old woman, without even meeting me!): I explained that she might be better to have two for the actual washing/dressing and if the person needed lifting out to the toilet during the night ("Ah, no, not really. Just once or twice. Maybe three times."
) then that was quite risky to have one person doing that.
So, if I were you, before you approach anyone, have a think about exactly what work is involved, and write down a list of tasks that you envisage the Carer will be expected to do. You need to be realistic about this. If the person they will be working with can have challenging behaviour or can be aggressive, then it's better to say so than have what happened to a care worker I know! She turned her back on a client and got a frying pan over the head!! (I had to prise out of the lady mentioned above that the elderly woman did, indeed, have dementia. "Ah no. She's just very elderly. Well, maybe. Yes. I suppose she does, really." ) Is it mostly for washing/dressing/toileting/meals or is there some light housework involved? And do define what housework you expect done. If providing a meal, do you envisage them cooking from scratch, or heating up ready cooked meals? What experience do they have? Can they let you have references? Do they have any training? And, as has been said, are they self employed or will you be their employer?