Talk

My childminder used to do this - after schools and full days in the holidays. Much more tricky to find a nanny though. Possibly a teacher/TA or a leader at a term time nursery?

It is possible to find, different people prefer different working patterns. All you can do is start advertising for what you want and go from there. You probably won't have a huge number of applicants so might have to compromise on who you get but I know a couple of people with this sort of pattern.

Would Gumtree be the right place to advertise for this sort of thing? Or is there a specialist part-time nanny site that would be better?

Idon't so much need childcare qualifications (they're both primary age) but someone with common sense, the ability to make them do what they're told, feed them fairly healthy and balanced meals and deal with anything unexpected (sudden flood in kitchen while cooking dinner, child falls headfirst off climbing frame) in a sensible way.

You could register in childcare.co.uk - I did for babysitting jobs at uni. Different levels are free but it's an easy way to find different nannies/babysitters/childminders in your area. You can also specify if you want them to have certain qualifications and let them know exactly what you want.

A uni student or college childcare student might work well for you? See if you can advertise at local colleges/units?

Where are you located OP?

Au pair?

littleladyluna I'm in London, near a tube station, so fairly accessible. But for the hours I need in the holidays I think I'd need someone fairly local.

Local colleges are a thought - I do want someone with a bit of common sense though, and I'm not sure most 18yos fit that bill. Maybe a mature student. Or someone studying childcare, though they might want younger children / babies to practise on.

We don't want to share our house with an au pair, it's something that I would find very uncomfortable and it seems silly anyway just for the three days a week that we need.

I was looking for something like this a few months ago in SW London (preschool teacher trained, loves primary aged children, lots of nanny experience) as I'm studying and have another venture that is demanding some of my time. Be prepared to offer an attractive hourly rate and advertise on a few different sites and I'm sure you'll find someone.

I found a three day a week after school nanny on findababysitter.com.

There are qualified nannies, students and general babysitters on there. You have to pay £25 a month to be able to contact them, but if you get it sorted within a month (I did), it's a one-off payment.

Posting exactly what you need is the best way to get responses.

tethersend That site looks to be just what I need, thanks! It's really helpful that you can see when people are available.

littleladyluna If you're still looking, do pm me. Also, what would be an attractive hourly rate?

I'm based in SW and have been looking for exactly this. I've had an ad on care for 3 months and had hardly any interest.
I've given up and gone for afterschool club and will have to leg it out of work to make it.

Sorry that wasn't helpful, just sharing my experiences and stress! Good luck hope you find something.

Pink I feel your pain, that's the situation I'm hoping to avoid. I hope you find something soon. I did just look at that findababysitter site and it's got quite a lot of people wanting to work part time, so it might be worth trying there if you haven't already.

Do you know any other parents who work part time and would be interested in sharing a nanny with you? That might make it easier to find someone.

I think you might find a nanny with child (pre- school age could work) or a nanny share locally with a parent with a younger child. I have a nanny for 23.5 hours a week but I have a child still at home. The nanny does other days at another family with school age children and she does all cooking and cleaning in term time and then has children in holidays. Works for us but the tax codes are problematic

Cassandra I don't know anyone who works opposite days to me, iykwim.

Toomany I'd rather not share a nanny (ie she looks after other kids at the same time as mine) as some of what I need is taking them to / from classes, which would be no fun at all for any other children to be dragged along to. I wouldn't mind sharing a nanny if she worked for someone else on other days, but again it's a question of finding someone who needs her for the days I don't.