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Finding and Hiring Direct Caregivers
Reviewed July 2025
A direct caregiver is hired to support a family who has a child with a disability or special health care needs. The direct caregiver can provide respite care like a break, or time off, from caregiving duties, or can provide personal care services. Personal care is a Medicaid benefit meant to assist with the activities of daily living, like eating, bathing and toileting.
Where to Begin
Before looking for a direct caregiver, it’s important to know your needs.
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- Are there specific days and times when you need a caregiver? Think about your family’s routines and when it could be most helpful. Will the times be different over school breaks or during the summer?
- Do you want a younger person (maybe a student) or a more mature or experienced caregiver? Do you want a quiet and reserved person or someone who’s outgoing and talkative? Who would be fit best with your family?
- Are there specific qualifications you are looking for? For example, someone who has provided respite to other children with behavioral needs, or someone who has completed a certified nursing assistant (CNA) course.
- What will the caregiver’s time with your child be like? For example, spending time at home, walking to the park, helping with homework, or getting ready for bed.
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When you know, create a job description. It can be changed or modified, but it is helpful to have it on hand before you start the hiring process.
Tip for Families
The Respite Care Association of Wisconsin has a listing of providers, free training programs and grants for families.
Go to respitecarewi.org or call 608-222-2033.
Ideas to Find Direct Caregivers
Word of Mouth
Tell friends, neighbors and coworkers that you’re looking for a direct caregiver. Reach out to organizations like your faith community, neighborhood association, or parent support groups.
Your Child’s School
Talk to teachers, therapists and aides at your child’s current and former schools. Explain that you want to hire a direct caregiver and give them a description of the position to share with others.
Colleges and Technical Schools
Consider students who plan to pursue health care, education, nursing, social work or related fields. Mature high-school students may also be an option during school breaks.
Job Boards
Post your job description on physical or online job boards. Respite programs or personal care agencies can help find job boards in your community.
Community Programs
Contact local programs that serve children like the YMCA, summer camps, after-school programs and swimming or other sports clubs.
Place Ads
Local newspapers, neighborhood email lists and local social media groups are inexpensive or free ways to find help.
Tip for Families
Be open minded when you interview potential direct caregivers. Candidates who don’t have years of experience may be good caregivers if they are bright, motivated and eager to learn about your child.
Covering the Cost of Direct Caregivers
You have choices on how to cover the cost of direct caregivers.Medicaid personal care services are funded by your child’s Wisconsin Medicaid card, while respite care can be funded by the Children’s Long-Term Support (CLTS) Program or the Children’s Community Options (CCOP) program.
In most cases, the CLTS Program lets families to use self-directed supports, meaning you select, hire and manage your own workers. A Fiscal Employer Agent (FEA) will then support your family in self-directing your workers.
Hiring Family Members
If your child is under age 18, Wisconsin Medicaid does not cover the cost of hiring a parent as a direct caregiver. For youth over age 18, parents may be hired to provide personal care services, depending on the person’s diagnosis and other functional limitations. Respite programs often approve hiring relatives, including older siblings. In most cases, because respite services are meant to give parents time off, they cannot be paid as respite providers.
Meeting Potential Direct Caregivers
These tips can help you find direct caregivers who are a good fit with your child and family:
- First, meet with them one-on-one if possible.
- Invite potential direct caregivers to your home to see how they get along with your family.
- Have them spend a few minutes with your child.
- Explain your child’s medical and/or behavioral needs and any safety concerns.
- Be specific about the times and days of the week when your family will need a direct caregiver and whether this will change over school breaks.
- Describe what their time with your child will look like.
- Talk about expectations you have for caregivers. For example, they should not come if they are feeling ill or text you know if they are running late.
Try Role Play
Give candidates a situation, like your child has a seizure in the park, and ask how they react to it. If they don’t know, do they ask you appropriate questions? Are they open to learning? Can they deal with stressful situations?
Interview Questions
When interviewing a potential candidate, these are some questions that you may want to ask:
- Have you worked with children with special needs? If not, have you been a babysitter or a caregiver for a sibling?
- What days and hours are you available to work with your family?
- Do you have flexibility to work with your family more often, or on short notice?
- For students, will their schedule change each semester? Are they planning to leave for extended periods over the holidays or during the summer?
- Do you have reliable transportation?
- Will you need to find a ride, take a bus, or are you close enough to walk or bike?
- Are you comfortable with all the duties of the position?
- Do you feel comfortable using your child’s equipment, assisting them in the bathroom or changing a diaper? If needed, can you help prepare a meal?
- Are you open to learning more about your child’s needs, conditions, and how to react if there are safety concerns?
After You Find the Right Direct Caregiver
When you find a new caregiver and the person agrees to work with your family, there are still several steps you will need to take.
If the direct caregiver is being hired to provide respite care or personal care services, a home health, respite or personal care agency or a fiscal employer agent (FEA) will need to hire the person to work with your family. If the Children’s Long-Term Support (CLTS) program covers the cost of respite care, you can work with your Support and Service Coordinator to make sure the right paperwork and forms are completed.
The candidate will likely have to complete an application, take part in training, and have a background check done, which can take several weeks.
INFORMATION AND RESOURCES
Wisconsin Wayfinder: Children’s Resource Network, 877-WiscWay (877-947-2929): Wisconsin Wayfinder offers families one name and phone number to find services for children with special health care needs. Wayfinder connects you to a resource guide at one of the five Children’s Resource Centers in your area.
If you need this fact sheet as a pdf or other format contact Lynn at lynn@fvofwi.org.
Family Voices of Wisconsin, 2021© | familyvoiceswi.org