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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

Original poster

Returning to work after second child and finding childcare impossible

55 replies

cesoir · 28/09/2010 20:58

I'm returning to work almost 14 months after the birth of my daugher. I have chosen to do this because my husband and I are struggling to live on his salary, and much like everyone else in these times, are up to our eyeballs in debt.

So I've managed to get a terrific job offer with a mid-November start, with a fair salary of £37k. I've even found a nanny who I think is great who has a net rate of £750 p/h. But then when I have to add tax, and NI, and employers NI I have to pay her £47 a month more than I earn!!!!

If I put them both in nursery I'm pretty much taking home £300 BEFORE my travel and lunch. It's not even worth the heartache.

How do people do this??? I 'm failing to see any light at the end of the tunnel other than to turn the job down, and I worked so so hard to get it.

My son is nearly 4 and attends the local school from 9-11.30 every morning and until end of day for 1 day. My 13 month daughter is home with me.

I've thought about getting an au pair but I've read that they can't look after the children for longer than 5 hours at a time, and that they cannot have sole charge of children under 2. And yet, I see lots of positions advertising au pair positions with toddlers.

Also, I've been looking at aupair.com and seen some candidates that seem perfect. Does anyone have any experience of this site? Is it a reputable way to find an au pair? What checks do I need to do if I choose to not go through any agency?

So many questions! Does anybody have any advice? xxxxxxxx

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howdidthishappenthen · 28/09/2010 22:36

Have you thought of repositioning the costs in your mind as 50% attributable to your DH, and 50% attributable to you? I know in real life family budgeting terms it makes absolutely no difference, but in terms of getting your head around the factors at play in deciding to/to not to go back to work, it's 'fairer' to think of your responsibility for these costs as being equal to DH in so far as it you both work,you both contribute to childcare. Not sure if my point is a: clear,or b: relevant but trying to help :-)

SylvanianFamily · 28/09/2010 22:29

Cms, you,ll need to ask around about vacancies. The listings are rarely complete.

bigchris · 28/09/2010 22:28

Yes you are just eligible for childcare credits etc because you earn under 40 k
you need to look at entitledto.com to work out what tax credits you can get
a nursery might be better
i'd definitely go back if I were you
the longterm gain outweighs the shorterm

DebiTheScot · 28/09/2010 22:28

A childminder could be a good option as they should be able to be flexible and able to reduce the hours next year when your son is at school.
A nursery could be a pain unless they would do the school pick up/drop off.

Don't forget you and your partner can both claim childcare vouchers. Although aren't they stopping them in a couple of years?

nannyl · 28/09/2010 22:23

good point nannomum, so could have £650ish spare after working

of course you could use both sets of £243 to pay a childminder or nursery as well, but the 1st £500 a month is "free"(ish)

StarExpat · 28/09/2010 22:20

Have you looked at various nurseries nearby? They do vary in price.

NonnoMum · 28/09/2010 22:19

btw, both you AND DH/DP can claim for childcare vouchers, so £243 off BOTH salaries would be a big lump sum towards the nanny's wages...

nannyl · 28/09/2010 22:19

50 hours a week at 7.50 = 375net = 489 gross per week = £2123 gross per month (25476 gross per year)

from here

u can use £243 vouchers so you only pay £1880 from your salary, so you still are £400 ish better off by working Smile

agree it is most of your salary but it is not all your salary

Original poster
cesoir · 28/09/2010 22:16

SOuth East London - Hither Green/Lewisham

OP posts:
StarExpat · 28/09/2010 22:14

where in london?

Monty100 · 28/09/2010 22:09

oops x post

Monty100 · 28/09/2010 22:09

Childminders are CRB checked and registered with the local authority.

Original poster
cesoir · 28/09/2010 22:07

10 hours a day for 5 days @ £7.50 p/h = £2,334 pcm according to the nannytax calculator. My take home is £2,287.

I think maybe I seek a private nanny if I cant find a childminder with an advertised gross salary and see how that works.

Been looking for CM on childcare.co.uk but nobody has 5 day vacancies for 2 children.

ARGH Confused

OP posts:
StarExpat · 28/09/2010 22:06

I'd go for a cm/nursery combination or just a cm. When your older dc starts attending school full time it will decrease the price quite a bit. Trust me, on a salary of £37K, a nanny will be very very expensive.

nannylocal · 28/09/2010 22:02

£7.50 net is cheap for a nanny tbh, particularly if you're in London. Maybe you've miscalculated how much the gross wage would be? It seems a lot for £7.50 net.

Original poster
cesoir · 28/09/2010 21:59

I've found the nanny through an agency, as I was concerned about safety checks etc. They've told me that all nannies work in net and when we go to contract that changes to gross. The lady I have found has not been a nanny before, but has 21 years of nursery experience. Her rate is £7.50 net, but I can't find another nanny for that low a rate. In London it seems like a minimum of £9 net.

OP posts:
NickOfTime · 28/09/2010 21:47

why are you offering the nanny a net salary? (it's a real pita for your accounting)
offer a gross salary that you can afford and let nannytax or whoever work out the deductions.

it's very tempting to go for the highly qualified norland-esque experienced nanny, but tbh if you register with a few agencies you can usually get a good range of applicants, some of whom will be prepared to accept a lower salary.

i would be thinking longer term though - when your eldest child starts school (it's realy not that far away) you need to be looking at practicialities as well as funds - ie is there an after school club, or will he need collecting?

if you can go for a cm/ nursery combo, the cost will decrease significantly in less than 12 mos. if you go for a nanny, you're in it for the long haul with no cost reduction.

ssd · 28/09/2010 21:46

where are you op?

Blondeshavemorefun · 28/09/2010 21:43

Crossed posts but still think you need to work out what you can afford

and obv what area depends on local salarys etc

getting a nanny for £20k gross about 300 nett

have a look on netmums and nannyjob

Blondeshavemorefun · 28/09/2010 21:39

Have you worked your figures out right. If earning £37k then a nanny earning £7.50 nett shouldn't cost you more than your salary

maybe nick can do some more sums for you

I think you need to work out what you can afford to pay in childcare and go from there

think a cm or a nannyshare would be your best option

do you have room for a live in nanny as thus would keep the cost down

Could granny/dh help out one day to save childcare costs

and def look into using vouchers

Original poster
cesoir · 28/09/2010 21:37

Hi everyone. To answer some of your questions...

my salary of £37k has tax and NI taken off as it is a gross salary, whereas the nanny has a net salary so you have to add it on. So it basically equates to the same amount of money.

I've tried nannyshare but there are actually so few families on it. I had one who were willing to share but have sinced changed their plans, one who won't call me back, and another who wants to share, but just two days - and when the hourly rate goes up because its a share, those 2 days don't really make much difference.

I have thought about a childminder, and been looking for some local options, so I'll see how that works out financially.

In terms of career, I do really need to keep the ball rolling. And also, as much as I adore my children, I'm finding it really hard to be a full time mum. I work in the music industry so I have a really fun job, and those part time positions just aren't there either.

Thanks everyone for your advice xx

OP posts:
nannyl · 28/09/2010 21:36

if you earn £37k you take home £27,454k...

im pretty sure you could find a nanny for less than £27k gross (although once you add in mileage allowance, childrens activites, toddler groups etc you might not get muhc change, but would probably be doing these groups anyway)

with your £243 a month (£2916) childcare vouchers

unless you require very long hours you should be able to find a decent nanny for less than £30k!

(although i can see why it seems pointless to work full time, if you only bring home a tiny bit extra a month, and have the hassel of not seeing your children, and dealing with sickness etc etc)

a childminder should be a cheaper option, and it wont be that many months before your eldest is a school and which point childcare costs would reduce (if you used a CM / nursery) but you salary wont Smile

nannylocal · 28/09/2010 21:36

Nanny share is prob your best bet if you've already found a nanny you like. Or a live-in nanny?

Childminder would be cheaper than a nanny so that's an option.

People do use au pairs to care for young babies and work more than 5 hours a week but are not supposed to. It often means the au pair is working for a very low wage, your children are not getting the best care and qualified,trained nannies are being priced out of the market...if you can live with all that then it's the way to go. Depends on your morals really!

NickOfTime · 28/09/2010 21:31

childminder.

if you are working f/t then an au pair is not an option.

mellicauli · 28/09/2010 21:26

Maybe see if you can find someone to share the nanny with - have a look at nannyshare.co.uk.