Nursery staff won't provide out of hours care?

Why do people like you do this? I absolutely hate these snarky back handed comments. If the dad could do it, do you think the OP would have started this post? Loads of people comment this just to see whether the dad is in the picture or not, you’re not actually trying to be helpful at all

Can the baby's father look after them?

Well seeing as the nursery won't be paying them 'professional' wages, that argument is irrelevant. They're paid for a job likely at or close to the minimum that is legally allowed, so it's none of the nursery's business what it's staff do in their own time.

To me it sounds unprofessional for a staff member to care for a child whilst off the clock and I wouldn’t imagine it would be allowed.

I can see teachers not being willing to baby sit on the side, but TAs might jump at the chance to earn extra money and again, if it's someone you know and that they're reliable/trustworthy/competent, potentially mutually beneficial.

So mine were not supposed to but they all did babysitting on the side and the manager took the view that if she didn’t know about it, she wouldn’t be looking for it. So basically everyone used the nursery ladies and I still do now I’ve left.

I think she’s nervous about being overheard and either getting the staff member into trouble or being ‘spoken to’ by the nursery manager, which is understandable.

I’m curious as to why things have changed so much - my two were at two different nurseries and it was absolutely fine for staff to babysit. The notice on the board set the requested minimum rates.

I don’t think that anyone thought that school teachers would do it though!! That was seen as formal education, not daycare.

There's nothing to stop them doing private babysitting, some of the staff from my DD's nursery did

They probably aren't allowed to advertise it but if you ask around you might be lucky

Just ask when you drop off/pick up

”Hi X, I just wanted to check, I’m looking for a babysitter for XX dates. I would love it to be someone DC already knows, is that something someone here would be interested in?”

Youre not going to get in trouble for asking

Not preventing staff from babysitting but making it clear that it's nothing to do with the nursery is the best way to approach this.

The nursery cannot control what it's staff do in their own time (as long as its not something that makes them a danger to DC of course) and it could actually be beneficial for staff retention as if they're allowed to top up their income by occasional babysitting, it might mean they're less likely to leave for better paid work, not more. I know a few nursery workers who absolutely love their jobs, they just wish they were better paid.

Both nurseries my DC's went to said on their T&C's that they did not provide babysitting. However, if you wanted to arrange privately with the staff to do babysitting that was between you and the staff member & nothing to do with the nursery. At both nurseries quite a lot of the staff would babysit out of hours - we used them a few times. In our mind, we would rather someone we knew who had childcare experience, knew our child & had been through DBS checks etc. I still feel that was a lot better than using some random offering their services locally on facebook or the teenage kid of a neighbour!

Could you ask them if they could recommend someone? That way they can say they would like to do it or they might recommend a reliable friend/ex colleague

This. Ask one of the members of staff if they can do babysitting. If they say no, then you’re not any worse off than not asking/knowing,

No harm in asking or just find another babysitting service locally

Good grief. 5 pages of responses for the simplest of questions. Just ask the staff! If they are not allowed to or don't want to, they'll say no.

Nursery staff wages across the board are woefully low. A lot of staff are happy to up their income with a bit of babysitting on the side and the managers are aware and either happy with it or turn a blind eye. At my children's nursery one of the workers even made up a few business cards and sent them home in kids' bags saying she was available for babysitting!

Why would they? Most parents use youngsters as ad hoc babysitters so wouldn’t expect them to have prof liability insurance or even be trained in basic first aid skills.

It’s up to the person providing the service whether they want to purchase public liability insurance to cover themselves. The law around harm is nothing like in the USA and a child hurt in an accident in England isn’t likely to lead to a lawsuit unless you can prove actual negligence or deliberate criminal actions led to the harm occurring.

Just ask the one you like the most or the one you’d be most comfortable with. When you next see her say ‘Oooh Amy, I’ve been meaning to ask you, do any of you girls do babysitting? Next Wednesday I’m going out and only really trust you here. Not sure if it’s allowed but I would need you from 7pm to 11pm and I’d give you £45?

They can either say Yes or No. of course you won’t get in trouble. They’ll get asked this all the time!

Correct. Just like if you used a family member (which we do) or a local baby sitter (which we don’t). They obviously have more training and experience and know your child so you have to weigh up those risks

I think the poster meant that their bosses cannot refuse permission if the staff member wanted to babysit privately, unless it is in their contract that they cannot do it. She didn’t meant the individual didn’t have a choice; just that the boss wouldn’t be able to step in and refuse to allow it.

I agree with this. Just because something is in a contract doesn't make it enforceable.

After all, there's nothing to stop a nursery worker leaving to become a nanny once they realise they can earn more that way and have made contacts locally anyway.

Just ask them if they can recommend a babysitter, if they say oh yes Doreen does that then great. If they say sorry no you have your answer. Babysitting will be a lit more than nursery fees though, about £15 an hour

Does that mean they have no professional liability insurance if they do it?

Oh and adult babysitters charge £15 an hour here, teen's around £10

Just ask if they know anyone, they can say no.

It may have changed but my DC’s key worker babysat for us regularly so I could work. They would bring them back from nursery, give them tea and put them to bed. Wasn’t on the sly so some nursery’s don’t have that rule. It will vary from business to business.

I would just ask the person that you’d like to do it or if there’s a few then ask the manager. If they say no then that’s your answer. I would check rates with them upfront as it usually is much more for a nursery work to babysit than someone without training,
If they say it’s against the rules say you didn’t realise. I’m not sure what else you think might happen.