Childcare - when you work full-time

[OVienna]

I was going to post this on the Childcare board but it feels less active than it did a few years ago. I have a feeling a number of those posters might still be around but moved on from nannies/au pairs etc. I'd really appreciate hearing when people stopped having after school childcare.

Next year, I will have two children in secondary schools (not the same one.) Our house is roughly in between both, although slightly easier to get to the younger DC's school. Older DC (will be 15) gets home around 6pm, after activities and travelling. The younger one (11) will have after school activities that go one until 5.15 - not sure how many days yet. This DC could stay at school and do homework until 6pm then get the bus back, by which time older DC is in.

DH and I get home from 7-8 pm.

DH is a teacher so could cover (most of) the school holidays. My work is flexible enough that I could WFH to cover the odd days of illness.

Given these circs, would you employ someone after school? Or be comfortable for them to be home on their own?

[mindutopia]

I would expect them to be able to make their way home and not need childcare at the age, assuming younger one especially is generally responsible. At 12, I was doing overnights home alone and taking myself to and from school when my mum had work travel (different time though, I know).

[TwoRoundabouts]

Neither of your children should need childcare unless they have SN.

Make sure your younger one knows who to contact in emergencies and actually do test runs before the child goes to secondary in the summer term.

[Divgirl2]

Assuming no SN a secondary age DC should be more than capable of looking after themselves for a couple of hours after school.
Although you will be depriving someone of the easiest nannying job in the world so there's that to think about

[OVienna]

@Divgirl2 - right?
I did think about another au pair but to be honest - it's a very long and lonely day for someone with no local contacts. I don't think it's very fair for someone to come over expecting a 'cultural exchange' but be looking at four walls for 90% of the time. Their days have been rather short for the last couple of years for various reasons - I thought it would get easier when the DCs got older but after years with no issues we suddenly had two leave early.

In any case, it's good to know others would do the same.