What on earth do you do...

[Babblepook]

About after school care? We’ve had it so easy with nursery having our child 8-6 and now he’s starting school it’s a minefield. There’s after school clubs but as he’s a summer born I’m worried he’s too little to be attending them. Then the childminders are few and far between and also very expensive....agggh I don’t know what to do!

Can I ask what others do, particularly in London where I am and how much it costs you per hour?

Schools usually have afterschool clubs attached so will definitley take all children attending that school.
We pay £10 for 3-6 including a meal. We are in the north though so it doesn't mean much.

Our school doesn’t unfortunately. And even those that do around here have long waiting lists

Does anyone have any advice?

After school club, childminder or go part time. I did the go part time option which is fine if you can. Unless you have family close who can do it I don't see what other choices there are?

I work part time and am still going to struggle with this. No breakfast or after school club at the school dc1 will go to. I am hoping that I can change my working hours on one day which will help.

Schools usually have afterschool clubs attached so will definitley take all children attending that school.

Unfortunately not true. No school I’ve worked at had/has before or after school clubs. The school my DCs went had before and after clubs but each only took 30 pupils per session... this in a school with 7 year groups and two classes per year group.

I was lucky and didn’t work until both mine were at secondary. Not sure what I would have done if I’d needed to work. Despite being in London there isn’t a lot of childcare options around here.

Your options are pretty limited aren't they?

No school run childcare makes it very difficult.

Clubs probably won't be an answer. At my school (which does have school run childcare) very few clubs are available to reception? So you wont get your child into a club everyday.

For example this term only x2 after school and x2 before school clubs were open to reception. From year 1 there are a lot more options club wise but they still finish at 4.15pm

I'd be looking at the childminder option.

Is there any scope for you or your DP to rejig your working hours at all?

There is an after school club run by a private company that picks up or there is CM route but I can’t see any with any vacancies. I guess my options are probably limited to the club. I do worry about her young age though. It would be 2-3 nights a week as we both have one day off where we’ll pick up

Do you know anyone else with children starting, who you could share childcare with?

Afterschool club here @ 4 per hour, and an extra 2 for a sibling. They will do homework and give them a snack as I collect at half 3 (DD’s school finishes at 2.20 and I (teacher) finish at 2.40. Lots of nurseries here will collect children from schools and bring them to an Afterschool club, is that possible??

Do your Nursery not do school pick ups ?
Most Private Nurseies round here do wrap around care for the younger ones at school.
Afterschool clubs are used to having little ones. He'll cope. Might even really enjoy it.
You could ask your authority's Family Information Service if they know of any other CMers you've not been in touch with, and also ask at the school - they might know of someone you've not come across.

No there’s no nurseries I’m aware of that do after school care.

I don’t think you’re allowed to do reciprocal childcare with someone else. Breaches OFSTED rules.