Family carers often put their own wellbeing aside to support their loved ones. At Earnest Support Care Ltd, we believe carers deserve a break.
Our holiday care service enables family members and primary carers to take a well-deserved holiday, safe in the knowledge that their relative is receiving excellent care from trained, CQC-registered carers. Holiday care provides continuity, consistency, and peace of mind, allowing families to rest, recharge, and return ready to resume their caring role.
Reliable holiday care in Swindon - temporary home care from CQC-registered carers for complete peace of mind whilst you are away.
Holiday care is a temporary care arrangement providing domiciliary support whilst family carers or primary carers take a holiday, break, or planned absence. Unlike regular domiciliary care, which is ongoing, holiday care is scheduled for a specific period, providing intensive, continuous support whilst the usual carer is away.
Holiday care supports the service user's usual routine and preferences, maintaining continuity and minimising disruption. We take time to understand how the individual normally lives, their preferences, daily routines, and what is important to them, so that when family carers are away, we can support them in the way they are used to and maintain their quality of life.
Whilst holiday care and respite care are sometimes used interchangeably, there are important distinctions. Here is how they differ — and how we provide both.
Specifically arranged to cover the temporary absence of family carers or primary carers taking a holiday or scheduled break away from home. The carer needs this break for their own wellbeing.
Covers planned carer holiday absence
Typically two weeks or more
Intensive, continuous support throughout
Supports usual routine and preferences
A broader concept of temporary care cover, which may be arranged for various reasons, including allowing carers to attend appointments, manage other responsibilities, or for planned respite breaks.
Arranged for various reasons
Can be shorter, more flexible periods
Appointments, errands, or planned breaks
Highly adaptable to circumstance
Step by Step
We recommend families plan holiday care several months in advance. Here is our seven-step process — click any step to read the full detail.
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→Ideally at least eight weeks in advance.
Families should notify us as soon as holiday dates are known, ideally at least eight weeks in advance. This allows sufficient lead time for carer recruitment and matching. We recommend families plan holiday care several months in advance, particularly for extended breaks or popular holiday periods.
→Understanding every need, preference, and routine.
We meet with family carers to understand the service user's needs, preferences, routines, medical requirements, and any specific instructions. We gather detailed information about what matters most to the individual and how care should be delivered.
→A live, comprehensive document for the whole period.
We develop a comprehensive holiday care plan, based on the individual's usual care plan, modified as necessary to reflect the temporary nature of holiday care. This plan is documented and shared with all carers involved. The care plan is a live document, updated before each holiday period to reflect any changes in the individual's health or circumstances.
Matching by experience, skills, and continuity.
We recruit and select carers suitable for the holiday care period. Where possible, we match carers who already know the service user through existing domiciliary care arrangements, ensuring continuity. For new carers, we conduct thorough recruitment checks including DBS clearance.
→Every carer fully briefed before the family departs.
Selected carers receive detailed induction, covering the service user's needs, preferences, medical conditions, medications, emergency procedures, and all aspects of the holiday care plan. Key information is documented and reviewed with carers prior to the holiday period beginning.
A final handover meeting before departure.
Immediately before carers leave for holiday, we conduct a final handover meeting with family carers and our holiday care team, clarifying any last-minute queries and ensuring everyone is clear on arrangements. Nothing is left to chance.
We remain available throughout the entire period.
During the holiday period, we remain available for any concerns, provide daily check-ins as arranged, and ensure smooth communication between our carers and any family members who remain available. You are never out of touch.
Every holiday care arrangement begins with thorough assessment and detailed care planning. We invest time in understanding the service user's individual needs, preferences, daily routines, and what matters most to them. The care plan is a live document, updated before each holiday period.
Personal care needs (washing, dressing, toileting, grooming)
Medical conditions, medications, and health management
Mobility and physical support requirements
Nutrition and dietary needs (including any specialist diets)
Communication abilities and preferences
Cognitive needs (for individuals with dementia or learning disabilities)
Mental health and emotional wellbeing
Social activities and interests
Relationships with family members
Safety and safeguarding concerns
Environmental and equipment needs
Preferences and what the individual enjoys doing
This comprehensive assessment underpins the care plan, ensuring our carers have all information needed to provide safe, effective, person-centred support.
Holiday care provides comprehensive support across all activities of daily living and leisure, maintaining the service user's wellbeing and quality of life during the family carers' absence.
Support with washing, bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, and all personal hygiene needs, delivered in a way that maintains dignity and respects personal preferences.
Safe administration of all prescribed medications at the correct times, in the correct doses, with detailed record-keeping. Our carers work from medication administration records provided by the family and can identify any concerns or side effects.
Preparation of regular, nutritious meals, respecting dietary preferences and any specialist dietary requirements. Our carers support individuals with eating and drinking where needed, ensure adequate hydration, and monitor for any changes in appetite or swallowing difficulties.
Holiday care is not just about meeting physical needs. Our carers provide genuine companionship, conversation, and support for engaging in activities the service user enjoys, outings, hobbies, games, reading, arts and crafts, or simply enjoying time together.
Regular observation for signs of illness, falls, or deterioration in health. Our carers monitor for changes in mood, behaviour, appetite, mobility, or other indicators of concern, immediately escalating to family members or healthcare professionals if required.
Light domestic support such as washing up, tidying, laundry, and maintaining a safe, clean environment. This keeps the home comfortable and removes additional stressors during the holiday period.
We understand families need reassurance whilst away. Communication arrangements are agreed in advance and tailored to each family's needs and preferences.
We provide regular updates on how the service user is getting on. This might be a brief call, text message, email, or photo update, depending on family preference. Updates cover what the person has done, their mood and wellbeing, any health concerns, and highlights of their day.
All emergency contact details are clearly documented. If significant concerns arise such as sudden illness or a fall, we immediately contact family members and seek medical attention where needed. We never wait for scheduled communication if a problem emerges.
On completion of holiday care, we provide a detailed report covering the service user's wellbeing, any incidents or concerns, medications administered, activities undertaken, and any observations of changes in health or circumstances. This helps family carers understand how their relative has managed and identifies any follow-up actions needed.
Specialist Situations
We are here to help and would welcome the opportunity to discuss how we can support you or your loved ones.
People living with dementia often experience anxiety when their usual carers are absent. Holiday care for this group requires specialist understanding and approach, ensuring the person feels safe, secure, and supported by carers who understand dementia.
Our carers experienced in dementia support understand the importance of routine, consistency, and familiar cues. Holiday care carers work closely with family carers to learn about the person's life story, important relationships and memories, and strategies that help them feel calm and secure. We maintain established routines, use familiar photographs and objects, and employ communication techniques that support understanding and connection.
Where family carers are concerned about how their relative will manage with different carers, we offer an extended induction period, allowing the service user to become familiar with new carers whilst family are still present. This gradual introduction reduces anxiety and builds the relationships that will support wellbeing during the holiday period.
Individuals with complex physical health needs, challenging behaviour, or high support requirements sometimes receive less holiday cover because agencies find them more demanding to support. At Earnest Support Care Ltd, we are committed to ensuring everyone can access holiday care, including those with the most complex needs.
For individuals with complex needs, we may assign two carers to provide joint support, allowing carers to manage challenging situations safely and ensuring no single carer becomes overwhelmed.
Our Nominated Individual, Gideon Ogunwale RGN/RMN, can provide specialist clinical support for individuals with complex medical needs, including medication administration, wound care, catheter management, or other clinical interventions.
We invest additional time in training carers, developing detailed behaviour support plans, and ensuring all team members fully understand the individual's needs and how to provide safe, compassionate support. Extended trial periods and gradual transitions help build confidence and relationships.
Living with Pets
For individuals who live with pets, we ensure our carers are comfortable with animals and can manage their care and feeding. Pets are often important to people's wellbeing and security, so supporting animals whilst family carers are away is an integral part of holiday care.
We can support household management tasks as needed, including managing post, answering telephone calls, liaising with tradespeople or service providers, and ensuring the home is maintained safely and securely.
Whilst we recommend advance planning, we understand that sometimes holidays are arranged at short notice, or family emergencies require immediate arrangements. We will do our best to accommodate short notice requests, though availability may be limited. For short notice arrangements, we may use carers from our casual team or arrange with partner agencies. We will always be honest about availability and quality assurance processes, and will not arrange care we cannot confidently deliver to our high standards.
Holiday care is typically funded privately by families, though some individuals may be eligible for funding through Swindon Borough Council. We provide transparent pricing and detailed quotations in advance, including information about how long care can be arranged each day and any additional costs for evening or overnight support.
Questions families often ask before arranging holiday care — answered with honesty and care.
If you would like to discuss support after a hospital stay, please contact us. Our team can listen to your needs, answer questions, and explain how we may be able to support a safe return home.
