What should be settled before a family makes an offer?
Confirm the pay, schedule, duties, start date, benefits, trial terms, and who signs each document. Give the family a short completion checklist and name the decision-maker. Set a realistic paperwork deadline before the offer is communicated so the agency and candidate know when a verbal yes becomes a completed placement.
How should an agency follow up when paperwork stalls?
Send one written recap of what is agreed, what remains open, who owns each item, and the date for a decision. Ask whether the family is proceeding, needs a specific clarification, or wants to pause. Explain the practical consequence: the candidate may keep considering other work, and the search may need to resume. Avoid implying the candidate is committed indefinitely.
What should the candidate hear while the family delays?
Share verified progress, the next expected decision date, and any change to the proposed role. Do not announce a completed placement while material terms remain open. If delays repeat, requalify the family’s readiness before asking the candidate to wait again. Keep private family commentary out of candidate updates.