I'm going to become an employer for the first time as follows: Social Services have agreed my daughter qualifies for funding for respite care for my wife and I and we have found a suitable lady to be her personal assistant. (Yes that's her job title). We met this morning with the accountant for Social Services who talked us through the process and requirements, receive money into the bank - pay PA weekly through her bank - records of every transaction - contract of employment - insurance - income tax etc. etc. The only thing I could see was missing are risk assessments, and I raised this and she just gave me a blank look and that surprised me especially with the current state of Social Services and child care etc. OK so I will carry out risk assessments, the PA will attend our home, visit various rooms i.e. living room, daughter's bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, she will also be taking our daughter out to various places including local shops, cinema, swimming baths, sports hall and lots of other places we have not thought about yet. We may even be taking her on holiday with us? So can I please have some suggestions for risk assessments that are needed to cover this area of the employment contract? Technically speaking this could be my second employee as my wife is on my books but is self employed herself?

ron you make a very good point but some may look to risk assess everything? I know no records are required and it is all low risk anyway, perhaps something is better than nothing. We will provide training in managing the wheelchair user when out and about, and there is more to that then people may think.

Was reading in the paper the other week: Chap had a carer for his wife. Wife died. Chap told carer there was (obviously) no longer a job Carer took chap to tribunal for unfair dismissal and redudo money Cleaned him out This assumes the newspaper correctly reported the incident Make sure you are insured

What paper?

Agreed on wheelchair, transfers, any hoists, bathlifts, adaptations etc. You didn't allude to anything specific in your OP.

Thanks Ian, I had a look and think she will not be a domestic servant as there will be outdoor activities for her. Walker - I found the article and it doesn't make sense. The wording refers to the local authority on one hand being responsible then on the other hand they had nothing to do with the payments. I have a contract of employment that determines the role, pay, sickness, holidays etc. She will be employed as Personal Assistant to my daughter, once the need goes away the job goes as well. I'm leaning toward risk assessing everything but not keeping records of the assessments, just a list of what I have assessed. Thanks to all, very interesting.

Thank you Hilary, that's what I thought until receiving some info from Sam, thanks Sam. I'll probably do something in between now.