Family · Planner
Weekly care coverage planner
See who has the children at every hour of your working week, and where the gaps are, before the week starts.
Download the PDF (A4, 2 pages)Open to print
Use it with: Family care coverage planner · Who has the kids at every hour of your working week?
1. Shade when everyone is away
On the Away line, shade the hours when every adult who could look after the children is at work or travelling. With one adult, shade that adult's hours.
2. Write who has the children
On the Care line, write a letter in each hour someone has them. Two letters in one hour is double cover: handy for handovers, but it counts once.
3. Circle the gaps
A shaded hour with no letter under it is a gap. Write each gap's times on the right, then plan who could fill it.
Letters for the care line
- P Preschool or childcare centre
- S School
- SC Student care
- G Grandparent or relative
- H Helper or nanny
- Pa Parent caring (not working)
- O Other arrangement
Family · Planner
Totals, closures and backup
Add up the week, then test it against the day something falls through.
This week in numbers
| Total | Weekday hours | Weekend hours |
|---|---|---|
| Hours needing careShaded hours on the Away lines | ||
| Hours coveredShaded hours with at least one letter, each hour counted once | ||
| Hours uncoveredNeeding care minus covered |
Plan for a closure or a sick day
Pick one arrangement, such as a centre closure or a day your child is too unwell to attend, and work out the extra hours it leaves uncovered.
| If this closes or cannot help | Days affected | Extra uncovered hours | Who could step in |
|---|---|---|---|
Leave days we have left
Each parent, as you know them from your employer. The Childcare Leave Entitlement Checker explains the statutory days.
Backup people to call
Keep names and numbers on the Backup-Care Contact Sheet, next to this plan.
A plan shows gaps; it does not create childcare places, and working from home is not the same as supervising a child. The Family Care Coverage Planner does the same sums on screen and keeps your plan on your device.
Updated 10 October 2026. Print on A4, landscape. Use a highlighter for the Away lines and a pen for the letters.