Is there such a thing as, and how much would you pay? (Childcare)

[WhoahThereCrazyHorse]

It’s looking like I will need to go back to full time at work, and therefore looking at options for childcare/extra help. Ideal would be someone who would pick kids up from school 3 days per week and be around until about 6, there would be an element of driving kids to clubs (on 2 nights). If possible I’d like them to chuck the odd load of washing in and tidy as necessary, nothing too arduous.

Does anyone employ someone for similar, and if so what should I expect it to cost? I’m in a Yorkshire city.

TIA

I think you are looking at a nanny/house keeper. It might be tricky to find someone who only wants to work 3 until 6 5 days a week.

Might just suit a retired person or similar. I think £5 per child an hour is the rate. Add another few pound allowing for driving/ petrol

I think I'd badge it as a Mothers Help and hope to find someone semi retired or a PHD student or suchlike. £10 an hour would probably be OK, but you'd need to pay their pension etc I believe. I'm hoping and praying to find someone similar!

We have at various intervals (although dont ask them to do laundry or tidy up but they have heated up a pre-cooked dinner). We pay £40 per day for collection at just after 3pm to about 5.45pm (in the North West).

I should say though people who want to do this are like gold dust and often do it as a stop gap between jobs that offer more hours. We've never managed to get someone to do 3 days so have used after school clubs too. People have usually done a max of 1 day (we had an ex nursery worker who was studying and helped on her day off) or 2 days for a while (shared with another family).

Au pair?

I did exactly this as a PhD student. Although I didn't have a car so activities had to be on bus routes. £10 per hour for 1 child, I started when she was 5. Pick up at 3 throw a load of washing on, snack time, homework, dinner (usually heat something through), chuck clothes in tumble dryer, load dinner stuff into dishwasher.

I did it for the whole 3 years of my PhD.