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Paid childcare

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

Original poster

What do you do when you need childcare after 6pm?

63 replies

neenztwinz · 14/03/2009 17:49

I am going back to work in July and my hours are 10-6. It's an hour's drive each way so I need childcare to 7pm ideally. But all the nurseries and childminders seem to shut at 6pm. What are my other options? 7pm is quite late for the children to be in chidcare anyway (they go to bed at 7 at the moment!) - they will be 14mo then - does anyone else have their kids in childcare till 7pm?

I am looking into getting a nanny (for twins - 2 days a week) but it might be too expensive or I might not be able to find one.

I could ask for compressed hours but would have to do 9.30-4.30 (ie no lunch break) cos we can't start before 9.30 and leaving at 5pm is awful for the traffic and I probably wouldn't be back in an hour then. I would rather do 10-6 but is it going to be possible?

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rafael · 07/07/2009 09:23

Hi Neenztwinz, how are you, hope you are well, have you any childcare yet sorted, I am still free if you are interested.
0151 280 3069.
07856891511 you can contact me on either number.

Verry Kind Regards.
Pauline.
rafael.

Blondeshavemorefun · 04/04/2009 14:30

if you want to stay at home and can afford to, then thats completly different - enjoy your babies - they grow up so fast

i dont get bored, i love my job,but of course there are days when you have had enough (teething baby, grumpy toddler, ill 6yr ) etc

and glad to go home and have a bubbly bath and a large glass of wine - recharge my batteries patience and start again next day

I think if I did get bored, then i am not in the right job, and hope that i will never feel like that

Original poster
neenztwinz · 04/04/2009 14:08

Oh, I am not going to take the nanny on, it wouldn't be fair. We will be able to manage with family/nursery for a couple of months.

DH earns quite good money so we don't need the £155, cos I would rather be at home looking after my own kids really. And with the difficulties we were having finding childcare we have decided it is just not worth the hassle. I have never really liked working anyway , looking after my twins is the most enjoyable job I have ever had. I never get bored . Do you feel like that being a nanny or is it different when you are looking after someone else's children?

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Blondeshavemorefun · 04/04/2009 13:47

often it is the case for some parents that once they have paid childcare costs that they dont have much money left

obv it depends if you want to leave your twins 2 days a week and work, but isnt £155 a month better than nothing to go towards bills.shopping/holiday etc

if you are def going to resign in oct if you cant go down to one day, i think you need to tell that to this lady, as she may think the job is permament

Original poster
neenztwinz · 03/04/2009 21:43

Well after all that, me and DH sat down last night and worked out exactly how much money I will make working. It is only £80 a month after tax/ni/childcare/fuel etc . For two days a week! I can get childcare vouchers, they are worth £75 a month, so I'd come out with £155 in total, but it's still not worth it. Ironically, if I did only one day a week I would be £25 a month better off cos I would hardly pay any tax and my fuel costs would be less.

So we have decided that I will give it to Sept and then ask to go down to one day a week, if they refuse (I have already asked for one day and been refused, but I didn't threaten to resign) I will leave in October (which is when I have to work till to keep my mat pay).

Thanks for all your help though, it has been enlightening!

OP posts:
SadMarg · 02/04/2009 15:27

That's fabulous, neenztwinz! Hope it all works out.

Blondeshavemorefun · 02/04/2009 14:21

brilliant!!!

I would ask her to send along her cv and references so you can check them BEFORE you see her - just saves a bit of time - as well as a copy of her crb and her 1st aid (if she has them)

I have never spent time with a family before they offered me the job (as in other than interviews) but if you want to do that then maybe

Interview her, then if you like her (and after you have checked refs etc) and she is interested in the job ask her to come and spend several hours/day with you - and yes you will pay her the same as you would normally if you employed her - ie £7ph

bear in mind that your twins maybe clingy to you if you are there, and may not take to the nanny

keep me us informed

Original poster
neenztwinz · 02/04/2009 13:57

Blondes, someone emailed me through netmums and I have just spoken to her on the phone. She said she is happy with £7 an hour net (9am-7pm), she is in her 50s, husband a police officer, 10 yrs experience, lives south Liverpool, crb etc.

If I was to take it further what would I do wrt checking references and qualifications?

Would it be OK to ask her to come and spend a day or two with us? Would you expect to be paid for that?

OP posts:
RachieB · 02/04/2009 10:11

sorry about that

hope you find someone soon

x

Blondeshavemorefun · 02/04/2009 09:36

bugger about the cm

hope your ads find you a nanny - as i think thats prob your better bet as you have twins

Original poster
neenztwinz · 02/04/2009 09:02

Hi Katy, I am in Merseyside .

OP posts:
KatyKatyKaty · 01/04/2009 23:07

Whereabouts are you located? I am a childminder in Leatherhead, email [email protected] if this is close to you for a chat about your options.

Original poster
neenztwinz · 01/04/2009 20:51

Now the CM I liked can't do it! She said she takes her daughter to clubs on Wed and Thurs and wouldn't be able to fit all the children in her car .

There is one more CM who is available, and doing 'interviews' next month (she has several parents looking for a CM). So it is back to nannies. I have put an ad on netmums and may do the same on gumtree and childcare.

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Original poster
neenztwinz · 28/03/2009 13:56

lol - thanks!

OP posts:
Blondeshavemorefun · 27/03/2009 21:24

no harm in placing an ad on netmums, its free, you never know you may find the perfect nanny (well 2nd perfect nanny - im taken )

Original poster
neenztwinz · 27/03/2009 20:56

Unfortunately the nanny I contacted can't do it, but I may place an ad if I am not sure about the CM.

OP posts:
lindseyfox · 26/03/2009 16:31

yes I would think that £7 gross would be fair and agreeing a gross salary is a good idea as if the nanny decides to work on the other days it wont affect what you need to pay her.

obv the nanny you have contacted will need to agree to the salary and maybe some negotitation there that you start on £7 gross an hr with an increase to £7.50 in six months if all is going well for both parties.

Original poster
neenztwinz · 26/03/2009 16:25

Thanks lindseyfox. I have contacted a nanny in my area already from nannyjob, she has her own child so perhaps it could be the perfect answer. Would £7 an hour gross be about right then?

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lindseyfox · 26/03/2009 15:20

I too would suggest a nanny with own child and maybe set the rate as £65 net per day for 9-7 so a ten hr day that £6.50 an hr net which is a good rate for nanny with own child.

also 9am means you can get sorted and have time to chat to nanny if needed and finishing at 7pm means the nanny can hand over to your husband and there will be no rushing either end of the day.

look on www.nannyjob.co.uk

www.netmums.co.uk

www.gumtree.co.uk

www.childcare.co.uk

Original poster
neenztwinz · 26/03/2009 14:41

Thanks Blondes!

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Blondeshavemorefun · 26/03/2009 11:13

oops yes but relise this wouldnt work for 2 days a week

you can earn £6035 before tax - so 116 a week - if you found a nanny with own child or a nanny with a few years exp, you may pay less

so you could get a nanny for £70nett - so would be 140nett - which according to nannytax would cost you £158 per weekof course if you managed to find someone cheaper than £140gross then this would be less

i think my calculations are right - sure nick will clarify

Original poster
neenztwinz · 26/03/2009 11:01

Do you mean I wouldn't have a lot of tax and ni to pay?

OP posts:
Blondeshavemorefun · 26/03/2009 10:59

also worth puttng an ad on your local netmums - many nannies look there, and i know 3 nannies in my area who would kill for a one day job, to go with their 3 day jobs, and have a day off as well

you pay £74 a day for both, tbh i doubt if you would find a nanny for that as you will have to pay tax and ni on their wage

having a nanny makes life easier than nursery or a cm as all you have to do is come home

but then again, there may be nanny who is a mum, who wants work 2 days, doesnt have any other job and therefore that daily rate will be just over the tax threshold and you would have a lot of tax and ni on top of this

maybe nick could work out costs for you - he is very good at that

Original poster
neenztwinz · 26/03/2009 10:36

Seeker, thanks for your input but I have to go back to work for six months in order to keep my additional maternity pay of £4,000.

I will probably quit althogether after six months so I can look after my own children. I am very fortunate to be in that situation.

But in this current economic climate I'm not sure it is very helpful to just say 'change your job', is it?

Thanks for the advice Sadmarg, I might just do an advertisement and see what responses I get.

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SadMarg · 26/03/2009 07:32

Oh and the biggest difference between the CM and the nanny is that when you get home your children are already at home, and settled. No disrupting them by putting them into the car (risking them falling asleep in the trip home!!!), fed, bathed, etc. And when you go to work, if you are running late your nanny is there and you can just whip around getting ready, rather than frantically getting your children together, into the car, and to the CM.