Emergency Care When You Need It Most
Sudden illness, a cancelled arrangement, or an urgent work trip shouldn't leave you without care. We help families access vetted, backup childcare at short notice.
When You Might Need Emergency Care
Emergency care can mean different things for different families. Here are some of the most common situations we help with.
Regular Carer Unavailable
Your nanny or au pair is sick, has a family emergency, or otherwise can't make their scheduled shift.
School & Centre Closures
Pupil-free days, unexpected closures, or public holiday care gaps that don't align with your work schedule.
Urgent Work Travel
A last-minute business trip or work commitment leaves you needing trusted care at short notice.
Family Emergencies
Unexpected medical appointments, hospital stays, or family situations that require immediate, reliable cover.
How Emergency Care Works
Contact Us
Call, message, or submit a request outlining your dates, times, and your children's needs.
We Find a Match
We check availability across our vetted caregiver network and confirm a suitable match with you.
Care Begins
Your caregiver arrives with a clear handover on routines, contacts, and any specific instructions.
Why Families Trust Our Emergency Cover
Rapid Response
We prioritise emergency requests and work to connect you with an available caregiver as quickly as possible.
Vetted Caregivers
Every emergency caregiver in our network has passed the same background checks and reference verification as our standard placements.
Flexible Notice
From a few hours' notice to next-day requests, we do our best to accommodate the timeframe you're working with.
Age-Appropriate Care
We match caregivers to your children's ages and any specific routines, allergies, or support needs.
Consistent Standards
Emergency cover follows the same handover and safety expectations as any other Puzzle to Paddock placement.
Ongoing Support
Our team stays contactable throughout the placement in case anything changes on the day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about arranging emergency and backup childcare.
How quickly can emergency care be arranged?
It depends on caregiver availability in your area, but we treat emergency requests as a priority and aim to respond and start matching as soon as we hear from you. Registering in advance, even before you need emergency cover, helps us move faster when the time comes.
Do I need to already be a registered family?
Being pre-registered speeds things up significantly, since we'll already have your family's details, preferences, and any relevant medical or care information on file. New families can still request emergency care, but the intake process will take a little longer.
What ages and needs can be covered?
Our emergency care network includes caregivers experienced with infants through to school-aged children, and some with experience supporting children with additional needs. Let us know your child's age and any specific requirements when you reach out so we can match appropriately.
Is emergency care more expensive than standard placements?
Short-notice cover can carry a premium compared to an ongoing weekly arrangement, reflecting the caregiver's availability at short notice. We'll always confirm the arrangement and cost with you before a caregiver is booked.
Can I request the same emergency caregiver again?
Where possible, we try to reconnect you with a caregiver your family has used before, since familiarity matters for both you and your children. This isn't always guaranteed depending on availability.
Is overnight emergency care available?
Some caregivers in our network are available for overnight or extended-hours cover. Let us know your specific timing needs and we'll do our best to find a suitable match.
Don't Wait Until You Need Cover
Register your family now so we can respond faster the moment an emergency care need arises.