Childcare For 7 Children

As you are a teacher and have school holidays, could you considered offering longer holidays for the Nanny eg several days off at every half term, a week off at Easter and Christmas and then three/four weeks off during the Summer break and this with a slightly higher wage might make the job more tempting.

Are you getting all the child benefit s and tax credits?

because with all the issues going on for the kids it might be better if your husband gives up work . and he works in school holidays if you need the money and you have the kids

Firstly, I take my hat off to you. I struggle with 2 and a FT job.

Are your SIL's children actually living with you and does that need to be the case? As her children are all nursery/school age then an experienced au pair with oversight from you/kids coming to you on weekends might be workable?

Have you spoken to the school about an extended leave of absence to establish if it is feasible to return in September? A FT nanny is likely to wipe out your income or are there funds available from your SIL?

Do you have space for a live in au pair/nanny either at your home or at SIL's if she is within walking distance?

If funds don't permit the luxury of a FT nanny assuming you can find one, then I'd suggest a childminder for the 3yo's and the baby, with the remaining 4 children in breakfast club/after school club. As your requirement is term time only I think it will be less disruptive to make formal arrangements for 3 children rather than 7.

If funds permit then a FT nanny with a driving licence is a no-brainer.

A set hourly figure rather then chop and change as too confusing to work out esp if some were ill and lookimg after them

I think you are looking at £15/17 gross as you will need an experienced or older nanny to cope with them all

Are they are different schools ? Or are you paying for breakfast club and after school to make easier for the nanny so most days she won't have the older 4 from 730/6 unless holidays and will have baby all day and 2 almost 4yrs from lunchtime

And timescale? Is your Sil likely to get better?

Keep the pay simple. It gets horribly complicated if pay varies as what do you pay on a day the nanny has off as holiday? Agree an annual salary and then you know your main cost for a year.

If the job changes dramatically, then you then give notice of the change and the nanny accepts the new role or leaves/is redundant.

How will they get to school if you don't want them walking across the busy roads?

Too complicated. I would just pay say £15 gross per hour if that's more than average for area.

£10 net, would be £13-£13.50 gross which is average for most areas outside London.

You need to pay the same as you never know really how many she will have also. She will be on call for all 7 so if one is sick they will stay home, if another is ill at school she will collect etc. She will also have all 7 in the school holidays ( which is loads of the time in most places)

£15 gross, is £150 a day for 10 hrs.

I would just allow for her to gradually get used to 7 in the home first, so Easter/ may holidays lots of playing in garden etc

That's far too complicated and will cost you more in payroll costs to alter the pay each day. Pick an average figure that is maybe 25% more than the going rate in your area.

Agree you need a nanny but prepare to pay over the odds. Round here £10 per hour net is the going rate - friend of mine with 5 children couldn't find anyone willing to do it at £12 per hour net.

Home Start offer visiting/friendship for 2-3 hours a week rather than childcare.

What were your plans for childcare going to be if didn't have your sisters children ?

How long will you be having them? Tho hard to pinpoint but may be easier in finding a nanny if you say will be 7 for 3mths then back to 4

So both 3 are nearly 4 do if this was a long term arrangement then come sept and will be 6 at school and just your baby who will be 18mths or so

I'm sure my insurance is for 7 / but if it was for 6 then I wouldn't accept this job as if anything ever happens then the nanny would be unlikely to find another job easily

We are always saying nannies need pli yet seems in this instance if 6 then the nanny will be breaking the rules

Salary is very hard to judge as nannies are per family not child but obv this is two families/lots of children - and needs to be taken into consideration - esp if long term

You would also need a very experienced nanny to be able to Cope with all ages. Yes most at school but what happens in holidays - are you off as a teacher

Do you want term time only?

Sorry to hear of your sisters loss - way is good - I joined after my dh died - plus winstons wish for children

How are they coping with the loss of their father and possibly in their mind their mum as well while they live with you?

Are you getting any support?

Have you enquirer with www.home-start.org.uk? Haven't experienced them myself but seen them recommended a lot on here and just had a look at their site for you, looks promising?

Nanny public liability insurance often has the limit of 6 children but as long as you and the nanny are happy knowing that the insurance probably won't pay out if anything did go wrong, it is fine. One new insurance provider does not seem to have a limit, so may be useful.

Consider the practical things - how will a nanny get the children to school? You will have been doing this yourself, so the same method is likely to work but if you were using your car and you need to use your car to get to work, then what would nanny use?

Consider the costs - a nanny will not be cheap but unlike other forms of childcare they are paid a salary that you decide, not charge a per-child fee. So you are in control and need to decide what you pay (you may need to pay quite well to get someone who will take on this many children) and what their responsibilities would be. You also want to look into your employer duties such as doing payroll/PAYE, providing a contract and also look at what help with childcare cost you may be able to get such as Childcare Vouchers.

A nanny would suit. They have no actual limited on how many they have.

I would keep the two 3 three year olds in morning nursery also. Then nanny start 8am and drop 4 at school, 2 at nursery, and has 9-12 to have just baby and do something with them and sort out kids dinner or something for later whilst baby naps to make it easier later.
Then has 3 12-3pm, and all 7 again 3-6pm. So she only has all 7 4 hours a day

As long as you help also by being organised and helpful for example making sure all are dressed and eating before 8am so they can take over without panicked rush before leaving for school. As as long as older 4 are good in general about not running off etc.

So an 8yo, two 7yo, 5yo, two 3yo and a 1yo?

Is there an after school club?
Do you have space for an au pair?

I would try to separate it out a bit - a nanny for the 3yos and 1yo.
Maybe the nanny can drop them all at school.
After school club if possible for the school children
Nanny to collect 3yos from nursery and look after til 6pm.

If you have space for an au pair - au pair does before and after school for the older 4, nanny for the younger 3.

A full time nanny would fit your needs. A childminder would be able to but they'd be right at the limit so unable to look after any other children at all. It would probably be easier for the person to be in your home to give all the children more continuity.
You're doing a marvellous thing by helping out with your nieces and nephews.

I think you undoubtedly need a nanny. Are you getting SS help with your sil's children?

Could these people help/advise?

www.kinshipcarers.co.uk