Joshin App

Joshin is a first of a kind disability care app that is at your fingertips. One of the components of the school social work model focuses on maximizing school-based and community-based resources. The Joshin app is a great resource for parents who are looking for caregivers who have credentials and experience in working with children with special needs. This on-demand care app was created by twin sisters who took care of their brother with special needs, named Josh. In 2010, they started Josh’s place that provides holistic care and homes for adults with disabilities. Throughout the years, they’ve seen a lack of childcare services available for children with special needs. So they created Joshin, which is an app that connects families with children with special needs to professionals who have experience in special needs. This includes special education teachers, social workers, nurses and therapists. It was reported that “the majority of Joshin users use it for respite or before and after-school care and daily living skills development” (Chicago Parent Staff, 2019). 

The Joshin app is easy to use as the user needs to download the app, build an account with their care plan and hourly rate, and then book a care date with their desire caregiver. The caregiver will then be notified of the request and accept or decline the offer based on the care plan and hourly rate. I believe that this app would appeal to the families in my school district who come from upper middle-class backgrounds. Since I’ve been interning at my school, multiple parents have reached out requesting for referrals to other types of extra services within our community. Families can set their hourly rate that they would like to offer the caregiver, which makes this service available to a broader socio-economic population. Joshin also provides an opportunity for school social workers to seek side jobs after school or during summer breaks. This is a great way for social workers to help the special needs community while gaining personal experience. The Joshin app is a great innovation example and tool that social workers could also help create to enhance our communities and clients.

Chicago Parent Staff. (2019). On-demand care app launches for special needs families. Retrieved from https://www.chicagoparent.com/learn/special-needs/on-demand-care-app-launches-for-special-needs-families/?fbclid=IwAR1XImQfETgt62q-AXBOCOWw3NRAK940_0tvK10kH2uXd3N1Qoxm1BZSJtc