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Original poster

Getting a part-time nanny. IT CAN'T BE THIS HARD CAN IT?!?

30 replies

honeyistoosweet · 19/12/2014 11:44

I live in SW London with a two year old son. I need a nanny from January on a Wednesday and a Thursday 8am - 6:30pm.

I didn't honestly think it would be THIS hard to find one :(

Initially i paid the odd £30 and put an ad on Nannyjob stating the usual - non smoker, current DBS, experience of this age range etc. Had a few replies - maybe 7 or 8 and all were unsuitable for one reason or another - for example, living over an hour away, not having experience etc. There was one that looked hopeful but she wanted three days not two. I didn't end up meeting any of them in person.

I emailed around other friends to see if anyone had heard of a nanny available on the grapevine. Nothing.

I then thought, okay fine.. I might have to stump up some agency fees and contacted three. Not really very impressed by any of them to be honest but that's a separate thread. Two have come back to say there is no one available.

Third I just haven't heard from but as they want £2000 I am rather hoping I don't

So then I succumb to Gumtree. And then I get the bombardment of unsuitable replies. I don't mind sifting, if there is something to sift through for! But if all I am getting is an email saying, 'I like job plz' (and then not even a CV attached) then really... What is the world coming to?!

It is making me go a little bit crazy to be honest and now having tried all the normal routes I don't know what on earth to do.

Surely, surely, SURELY there is someone (and believe me I am not horrendously picky) who would like to come and play with my son a couple of days a week?!

Sorry for massive rant..

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Original poster
honeyistoosweet · 19/12/2014 12:30

Quangle - do you live in London? Not so much about the person's reliability but the train/tube system!!!

I have to leave for work at 8.15am prompt. My commute into Central/East London is over an hour. If the nanny was held up because of traffic/train delays it just isn't going to work. I saw this with a previous nanny all to often. Not her fault - unpredictability of the transport is too frequent to have someone who lives miles and miles away. In this instance the applicant lived in Surrey, so really was pushing it.

OP posts:
Purplepumpkins · 19/12/2014 12:28

Try daffodil nannies I know the owner and she charges lower rates then a lot of leading agency's.

Quangle · 19/12/2014 12:21

why have you ruled people out for living a long way away? My nanny lives over an hour away - she's been working for me for 8 years! That seems an odd criterion - unless you are worried about lateness but that depends on the person's personality rather than the distance.

Original poster
honeyistoosweet · 19/12/2014 12:18

Thanks for your reply. No good on day changes unfortunately - they are fixed.

I've used Wimbledon Nannies before and may have to try them this time around too. Will also look on childcare.co.uk - thanks!

OP posts:
Callaird · 19/12/2014 12:12

Have you tried Wimbledon nannies?

I think it's hard to find someone for those days a week. Most part time nannies I know work Monday to Wednesday. Then Thursday and Friday with a different family. Can you be flexible with days?

I think things go round in circles. When I have a good job there seems to be loads of great sounding jobs and when I'm looking for a job there is nothing interesting!!

There is the right nanny out there for you, you just have to keep plodding on! A lot of nannies I know in the area look on childcare.co.uk. Have you tried there? Although again it's more money.