Writing a handover note
for a babysitter or carer.
A handover note says what must happen while you are away: medicines and their times, allergies, the routine, and who to call. Keep it to one screen, date it, and make sure the person can tell you what they did. Share only what the day needs.
What the note is for
The person looking after your child or parent for an evening does not need the history. They need tonight. A good handover note is short enough to read at the door and complete enough that nothing depends on a phone call to you. It also gives you something to check afterwards: did the doses happen, and when.
What goes in
- Allergies and conditions, first, every time, even if the sitter has been before.
- Medicines: what, how much, when, and where they are kept. "Inhaler, two puffs at bedtime, top shelf in the green box."
- The routine: meals, nap or bed time, anything that calms them when upset.
- What to watch for, and what to do if it happens.
- Who to call: you, a second person, and the emergency number.
Ask for a reply
The note should come back with ticks: doses given, anything that happened, anything used up. A sitter who writes "all instructions followed, 18:42" has closed the loop; a sitter with no way to reply leaves you guessing. For a carer who comes every week, the replies become the record of the weeks you were not there.
Share only the day
A sitter does not need the full record, the home address on file, the insurance details or the identity numbers. Give the medicines, the allergies and the note; give it for the hours or days they are coming; take it back when they leave. If a service lets you give access with no end date and no way to see what was looked at, use it for less.
Where Biojrnl fits
Each person you look after has a managed profile in Biojrnl, and the profile has a handover note: you write the instructions, the sitter or carer reads them in the free app and replies underneath, with the time. A guest pass gives them only the parts you choose, Off, View or Add for each area, for 12 hours, 7 days, 30 days or until you remove it; when it ends the app says so and the access is gone. A guest always sees allergies, conditions and the handover note, and never the home address, insurance or ID numbers. Everything a guest or co-manager does on the profile is in its activity log. Managed profiles and guest passes are on the Family and Care plans. See the handover note and sharing screens and the guide on keeping a medication list for a parent.
Asked most often.
How long should a handover note be?
One screen or one side of paper. Allergies, medicines with times, the routine, what to watch for, who to call. Anything longer gets skimmed at the door.
Should the sitter see the whole health record?
No. The evening's needs only: medicines, allergies, the note. Keep the history, the address on file and any identity numbers out of it, and end the access when the arrangement ends.
What should the carer write back?
Each dose given with its time, anything out of the ordinary, and anything running low. A short reply under the note is enough; it is the record of the hours you were not there.
Yours to keep,
in your pocket.
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