Trying to find a nanny for weird/irregular hours- WWYD?

Try advertising on gumtree or in your local paper OP. It's probably not the sort of job a young nanny would want but someone like me would be interested (mum of teens looking for a few hours a week - not too fussed which days). If you found two people like me you'd be sorted really.

There are people out there who want jobs with few hours at odd times - but you may need to change who you're looking for. When ds3 was little I needed a few hours each week while I was doing a part time postgrad course - one day he went to a childminder and another was covered by one of my Mum's friends. A granny herself whose grandchildren live abroad, she adored him & he was thoroughly loved by her for a day each week.

Can't you ditch your MIL helping you out to give the nanny two full days at least plus your extra hours on top. I know you might be trying to cut your costs but to get a good nanny I would definitely offer more hours.

I have a feeling I may have applied for your role last year, OP. Or one very similar at least!

I was looking to leave full time work to be at home more often, but just wanted a small amount of hours rather than giving up completely.

When I applied for the role, it was hard to get information from the parent. It seemed almost as if the parent knew the hours would be different all the time/not many nannies would be keen, and therefore tried not to mention this and instead kept saying it would just suit someone studying.

It was probably a different job, but I'm just mentioning these points incase you are doing something similar which is putting people off unnecessarily?

I don't know about the OP but I'm no further forward with my situation. I'll try again nearer the time

Did you manage to sort out childcare? :)

It did cross my mind Madeleine but I only need childcare from September and only for two fixed evenings a week.

I've drawn an absolute blank here. I've exhausted the list of local childminders and none do evenings (understandably) even though I only need up to 7.30pm.

I'll be looking for a babysitter now!

Nanny share with Ineednewshoes?!

Something like that would suit me (qualified nanny) as long as I knew most of the days/times in advance and could bring my own child. But then that's because I dont need to earn so much now and don't want to work quite so much now that I have DD. So you may be able to find somebody but it'd be difficult. There's no nanny work near me though so I'm planning to set up as a childminder and be available to cover shift workers, there's a big market for that near me and very few childcare providers willing to do it!

"Babysitters here seem to charge £10 an hour which is twice the local childminding rate. I struggle to get my head around this as the childminders are all well qualified and clearly invest in their development (Ofsted, First Aid, Childcare courses etc.)"

Childminders will have a minimum number of half days/full days weekly when they contract to mind a child, though. Babysitters won't.

As others have said, that charge is per child too.

Venus didn't attack her.

If you think she did, report the post.

I am in Leicestershire but I do ad hoc hrs and do evenings very occasionally for a single mum with 2 girls who is in a choir.

I am self employed and ad hoc work suits me I set my own rate and it is about 25% above top end here but I am pretty flexible and not regular work. I am also v v experienced and qualified.

I think finding a couple self employed nannies/babysitter who do temp and ad hoc work could suit you well.

Agree using the mil for the ad hoc stuff and get a nanny in for 2days

It's hard what you want as no set hours so a nanny can't find another job around it

If mainly weekend /evening work then again mil

Having 3 nannies possibly from sitters could work as you can request people and if free then can do it

Newly qualified maternity nurses might be interested in building up their cv. Would changing every few months work for you? Or what about a trainee nanny?

How about someone newly retired? They might have experience with their own children/grandchildren but want a bit of extra cash so could do a few irregular hours a week?

What hours generally is it? Would you use someone that did some in your home (as a nanny and some in their own home (as a registered childminder)?

Based in St Albans?

I didn't attack her, don't be melodramatic. I suggested she look at it from a nanny's point of view which she was not doing.

Plenty of other posters have also said she will have to compromise somewhere and she won't be able to have the same person for everything as she wanted. So you can wind your neck in.

Venus there are Nannys out there who wi do what the OP is asking, it's just a case of finding her. I'm not sure why your attackign the OP this is a childcare help board.

OP what exactly are you talking about hours wize? A weekend/night nanny might be your best option.

Have you tried nanny agency's? I know some agency's are a bit snoot about non set hours though that said.

Bare in mind a childminder charges per child though, and nanny and babysitters per family. So with two child the costs will be the same, if not cheaper.

Also if you want evenings or weekends that's premium time, like any other job antisocial hours generally pay more.

Can you fix two slots a week with a nanny, then get the grandparents to cover the others, rather than getting grandparents to do two days and many covering extra?
If you had a nanny housekeeper, they could do nannying part the weeks you need, and more housekeeping like laundry the weeks you don't. Same costs

A couple more thoughts. You'll almost certainly end up mixing and matching more than one person, so you'll probably need the services of an emergency nanny agency every now and then. I have heard that this one is good though never used it myself www.nannytotherescue.co.uk/about-us/

Alternatively, as it sounds like you do ad hoc freelance work - could you and your husband not work around each other and each work 50% of the time? I do wonder if you'll make any money after childcare costs.

Is it nearly all evening/weekend work? I'm thinking you could find someone who was doing their childcare qualifications - so not as highly qualified as you'd like but who would be working towards NVQ level 3.

I had a contract for 6 months where I had someone collect my DC from school 2-3 days a week after school and all day during the holidays. So some weeks it was 8 hours, some weeks it was 30. Because she was a student, she was massively flexible because my hours never overlapped with the ones she was at college. She still babysits for us 4 years on.

Oh yes, should say that in the past workers from nursery have been a great source of regular babysitters too.

Newshoes the first one we found through a friend of my Mum who knew her mum and knew she was back from Uni and needing stuff to do. The second one was through the local fb mum's group and I vaguely know her Mum. She's a bit younger than I'd like (15) but only does short periods til my husband gets home (always pay minimum 2 hours to make it worth her while.). Currently £7-7.50 seems to be going rate round here (hants/Surrey). For longer babysitting there's an older lady who advertised on the local fb group but she only does 3 hours minimum, but she's quite a 'pro' babysitter (also does it for sitters.co.uk) and very reliable & experienced. She runs a gift shop in the day but used to be a teacher I think. She also charges £7.50.

For the after school nanny I'm looking for 1 day I'm offering £10ph which seems average.

(Weirdly the going rate for a cleaner is more like £12!)

I would try advertising on all the usual places too. I know two artists who do a more ad-hoc type of childcare, and this is the sort of thing that might suit a post-grad art student or young artist. It also might suit an actor but the flexibility there has a major down-side when they get a role. You might also find if you could offer accompdation that would be easier.

What exact hours would you need the nanny :)

Do you have any predictability at all for the hours? And what kind of notice do you usually get for gigs? I'm a music teacher and freelancer with a husband who works shifts so I am well versed in the pain in the arse that is irregular childcare requirements the way we do/did it is to pay for all daytime requirements and then use MIL for evenings and weekend where necessary. Some nurseries are flexible on days etc, so you can pay for core hours and then top up on other days when you need to. Also once they're in nursery you'll meet their keyworkers who usually live locally and are often happy to babysit. We still use DS's keyworker from his first nursery, even though he left there 2 years ago, she lives round the corner and charges £8 per hour I think for evenings. Your eldest will soon get his free hours anyway I think...

IMO I think building up a network of local people would be the way forward, that way you're not relying on one person to do all the awkward odds and ends.