Do most people have backup childcare?

[Queuegardens]

Just in the middle of a horrendous week where our nanny is sick - coming after a week where I forgot she had some leave booked and found myself completely without childcare (obvs that second example was totally my fault, a dumb error I made when knackered and busy a month or so ago).

DH and each took some days off between us and we have done much punishing late night working from home to make up hours.

DC are 2 and 4. What do you do when your main childcare falls through? We don't have any family support. Have you got any tips for a 'second string' option? Is it just about networking with friends and returning favours, or do peoole have ongoing relationships with child minders or other nannies to help in emergency? I've found it impossible to get anyone to help at short notice during the summer hols as all local childminders seem stuffed or on hol themselves. I'd love any other tips.

Wondered if people thought we were being silly not having another emergency option...or if it's normal and most people just take their chances and suck up the panicky work problems?!

If you are the sort of family where (willing) parents and maybe others live close by, it has to be easier, but many are not in that position. My dd who,lives an hour and a half away, has no reliable back up, so I've often done emergency calls.

But if I can't for any reason - away or ill (e.g. shingles last year) either she or her dh will usually have to take time off, though she does have friends who may be able to help in an emergency. She can't rely on that, though.
When she just had Gdc1 we did one day a week childcare, but when Gdc2 arrived only 15 months later I thought it was too much of a risk to rely on me/dh, since if we weren't able to come for any reason it'd be that much harder to find emergency care for 2 such little ones. We help with childcare costs instead.

As with Borntobeamum
I have offered ad hoc childcare in the past.
I'm winding down now so only have one family, in the past I've taken them to their home when a parent has been sick, fed them, showered and bath, into PJs, got home work done etc
I am lucky tho that my kids are a lot older, 16+ and can sort themselves out

We chose a nursery over a childminders because if one member of nursery staff falls ill they will still open, whereas if a childminders or nanny is sick you're potentially stuffed.

Live in nanny who hasn't been ill ever.
Used an agency / scrabbled around when she's been on leave but she has 100% covered otherwise. Very very thankful.

Our DS is very young so not in nursery yet but reliability is the main reason we've booked him into nursery not with a childminder. It's more expensive but a price we'll have to pay I think... It's so difficult otherwise if childminder is ill.

Single parent and GPs were 200 miles away.

I had three friends as stand by. I took their kids at weekends in return to build up "credit". I had 3/4 older teens who could do early mornings, evenings if required.

I had the most reliable childminder ever so this was only the safety net to cover her holidays. I really don't understand why parents wouldn't have back up. I couldn't afford not to - my job (income, house etc) all depended on it.

The best backup is an understanding employer - my old one expected you to have backup childcare from day 2 of a child related illness - sick children want their parents generally. I moved to a more understanding employer and I love them, it’s so much easier and I put extra effort in as I value the culture so much.

We don’t have any really. A grandparent could be there in a couple of hours.

Nope, no back up here. If nanny is sick I can't work. MIL is 30 mins away but wouldn't help. My folks are 4 hours away and would drop everything to help, but they're too far away really. It usually means I have to take leave as DH works away. I can't work from home so I'm lucky my employers have been understanding on the rare occasions it's happened.

There is an app called babysitters I think. You can join them and pay an admin annual fee. They have an emergency nannies who are also working with sick kids. It is a bit expensive but it can be an option

I’m a cm and haven’t taken an emergency day off for 4 years now. Before then, I had the odd day, but more because I knew the family I had, could sort grandparents at short notice. Now, if it’s my children that are ill, either there dad, who works nights has to deal with them or they get shipped out to grandparents (which makes me sad, but I can’t afford to be unreliable). I just try to keep going and not be Ill. It’s hard and I think most parents just muddle through with this one, I know we do, using grandparents, a combination of dh shift work, hoping emergencies/appointments are on my day off.
As a cm, if I had space I would do emergency care for a well child though, so do ask around to see if anyone has spaces.

I have always tried to use a combination of nursery & childminder, so if one falls through then the other can help. I’ve also made friends in the area who’d help in an emergency, if they could. But often they’re struggling themselves. Everyone is so busy nowadays.

I’m a teacher and taking the day off because I haven’t got childcare isn’t an option. Unless my children have or are recovering from d&v, then they go to school.

It’s an awful situation when you’re struggling and have to call people to beg for favours.

I wasn’t able to return to work after DC3 because I couldn’t secure childcare.

I’ve used them before Ptica and at really short notice too. I think the admin fee was £15 per quarter, but you can leave any time. The actual babysitter got between £6/£7 per hour, three hour minimum.