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Paid childcare

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Original poster

Is this the done thing?

26 replies

rockybalboa · 04/04/2014 20:06

A friend of mine is utterly stuck for childcare for 3 days in Aug (her CM is on hols, work won't let her have both weeks off and she has no family help). She's a single mum who doesn't earn much and I was wondering whether I could ask our nanny to have the little boy for the two days she does for us. The week in question she won't actually have my two older DC as they are off staying with MIL that week so it would just be the nanny and the baby (he'll be just 1 by then). There would be no school run to worry about and my friend would drop her son at our home and pick him up again. Is it appropriate to even ask our nanny to do this? Are there any special rules about looking after children other than those of your employer (even if just for a few days)?

Thanks!

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nannynick · 04/04/2014 20:37

Would be a bit odd with your own children not being there. Your nanny would have been able to request the time off as part of annual leave, or you may have given it as additional paid leave, or you could have asked them to come in during that time and do non-childcare duties. So whilst it is a bit unusual, you could certainly ask.
The childminding regulations would not apply, as it is not a nanny caring for children from three families at the same time.

If there is some form of written agreement, then I suspect insurance would still be valid. Your home insurance may not cover it but it might fall under the same thing as if any other visitor came into your home. That sort of thing you don't really know until a claim is made.

The child does not know your nanny. Maybe that needs to be thought about - how could nanny and the child/baby get to know each other a bit before hand?

Does it involve any change of working hours for your nanny? Does it affect their plans for taking some of their annual leave? You nanny may expect to have time off whilst your children are not present - though there is not a legal right to that to my knowledge, though I feel you should discuss it with your nanny with the aim of getting their agreement to care for your friends child.

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