Any teachers out there with one-off childcare issues? Really need some advice please.

I’d get your DH to ask any random parent tomorrow at drop off if there is a nursery WhatsApp group that him and you can be added to. If you are lucky someone will add you to the group quick. Then do a short intro in the group and then ask if anyone knows of any available baby sitters that might be able to help on Friday with emergency childcare

Any sensible neighbours'/friends' kids that have just finished their Alevels or GCSEs and at a loose end, happy to earn some money, that could help you out?

Maybe one of the nursery staff would agree to be paid to look after her for the afternoon (in your house) as a private arrangement?

Could you ask on FB if there are any childminders available?

My school still paid me so it’s worth explaining the situation

It's gross misconduct to call in claiming you're sick if you aren't, and claiming sick pay.

@Fluffyowl00 Exactly. It will just be unpaid.

It’s not gross misconduct to have a day off for carer’s leave. If your school follows the burgundy book you get up to 5 days carer’s leave a year. I had to take a day off because I couldn’t find any childcare at all. School were ok with it.

What would you call fraudulently claiming sick pay then? In any case the OP doesn't want to do that. It's her husband who's putting pressure on her.

Request unpaid family leave - very difficult for them to say no to that

I don’t get it. Youngest child so how old are others. Ask a parent. Any of them. You must have met people at some point. Makes no sense to me.

Tough one, as much as it’s rotten I’d call in sick that day. Let’s face it, we would all ask for flexibility, but for most chances are slim for working people that have responsibilities. Good luck.

You can’t take a child into school with you these days . It is a H and S nightmare and isn’t allowed. Those days are long gone.

I’d find it easier to get someone to have her for the whole day ~ any chance parents could come or a helpful SAHM? Easier than the pick up scenario.

Can you find a colleague who would cover your final lessons on the afternoon? I was very lucky that mine covered for me and I reciprocated. Even members of SLT have covered for me in the past as they have little teaching..

Colleagues at my school had no compunction about taking time off for sick children. So I wouldn’t worry too much about calling in sick on the last day - it will be forgotten by September.

I would defer back to your dh, he made the commitment and will just have to explain he is not available that day.

Emergency childcare, back up care, childcare.co.uk, have a look on Facebook in your area for babysitters or childminders, look on your local council website for local childminders, ask local mums and dad's who babysits for them, ask local teens if they'd be interested in babysitting for ££.

Your husband needs to sort this out. He will need to step up and sort something out.
The OP is a teacher why should she have to take the child to work, why can't he? He also wants his wife to call in sick, again why can't he.
He is acting as if his job is more important than yours, I would nip this in the bud.

I would ask around local daycare nurseries and childminders if they could have her for one day. Friday is a less popular day for childcare so they may have space.

Or might there be au pairs or after school nannies who are free from 12-3.45 ish? What time will you finish at your school? Harder to find, but you could try posting on local forums.

Taking a day off sick for childcare issues is not gross misconduct.

You can't do this in a secondary school...!!

This is what I'd suggest.

Hopefully you can use an agency this Friday?

But for longer term then it's worthwhile having some people you can call that would love a few hours ext cash. It's handy for the holidays too when you want a day or 2 off!

Why is it always left to the mum to sort childcare is your job not important enough for him to rearrange his business? if not sounds like you don't have much of a choice to go off sick or unpaid leave which you are allowed to do but your school won't be happy that your child's dad cannot step up.

I used to work for sitters.co.uk when I was younger, I assume they’re still around? Can you not just book for the day with them or for nursery pick-up if they do that? It might be better for the whole day though, as you can meet them and it won’t be a stranger picking your child up, which might be unsettling.

What age do you teach? Are there any reliable older teens, e.g. doing A levels, who could help?

Argh what an absolute pain. I see that you don’t know any of the other parents to ask, this would have been my first suggestion (my children are much older now but I would definitely have helped out in this position).

Do you have parents/in laws that can help out? Maybe if they aren’t local they could have your 3 year old from the night before?

Any friends locally that have children in college? They could have finished by now so may be available to have them for you. I would ask my teenager if it were my friend.

I realise it’s your DH’s mess up and as much as he should be sorting this, he isn’t, so unfortunately you will have to.

Failing all of this, don’t call in sick. Explain to your slt/ht and tell them you will have to take a day of dependants leave. They may have a solution (bring child in/they have a known babysitter etc.)

Yes, I've been in this position and needed childcare for the mornings for 2 weeks. We went to a local nanny agency in the end- it wasn't what the type of timetable or childcare cover that they usually sorted but they were happy to find us 3 possible nannies who were available to do the short term cover we needed. Pricey option but it meant we could both continue without feeling like one of our careers was taking priority over the other.

Other than that, as you're in secondary- could you send an all staff email round asking if any colleagues have a son/daughter who's just finished a levels and sitting around at home, good with kids and looking for some extra money?

We've also used the babysitting app sitters for occasional daytime sits when different schools have had different term dates or insets. Sometimes it takes a bit longer to find someone available as a lot of their babysitters also work in schools and nurseries in the daytime, but if you're in a town or city then I'd say there's a good chance of someone being available.