Lone parent + no after-school club provision

[Jollygal]

I'm curious to hear how other lone parents manage without after-school club provisions, please.

My oldest DC will be in Reception and Year 2 in September. I plan to use the Breakfast Club for both/request a later start time with my new employer to allow me take them into school.
I haven't found a childminder who can collect them from school yet (starting to lose hope!) and their school doesn't have daily after-school clubs I can use for both of them.

I'm hoping there is something I'm missing and someone's reply will help me. I've always worked shifts and had exDH to help and this isn't the case anymore. I'm applying for part time jobs and trying to figure out how to manage the afternoon pick up. I don't have family who can commit to doing this, but they'll help out on the odd emergency.

After school Nanny. For many years I had an older lady to pick my kids up, supervise homework and make dinner. Meant they came hone and chilled out

Can you share with another parent? Take it in turns after school to have each other’s kids. Finish work earlier to collect but go back online to work later?
You may find childminders get some space free up at end of the summer when some kids move on.

Some local playgroups/day nurseries run after school provision which collects from nearby Primaries and is open til 6pm.

I used a nanny when this was my situation. I campaigned tirelessly for the school to start after school club. I involved the local council as the school had zero after school provision as no childminders at the school either, and it had been that way for many years. It took 2 years of pushing, but they now have after school club. Incidently there are now 4 childminders who collect from the school, all of which started in the last year, a year after the after school club started. Like bloody buses!!!!

Do none of the local nurses also un an after school club? We have three nurseries in our wee town, and they all have an after school club. They collect from all the local schools. One of them has the nursery and after school club in the one building. The other 2 have a nursery building and then rent halls; one rents the church and one rents the lifestyles centre. Is there anything like that with you?

Ah, I hadn't thought of asking nurseries! I'll make some calls tomorrow.

Thank you all!

Are you sure there isn’t private provision if the school don’t have it? Surely lots of families have two working parents and these make up the bulk of people using wrap around care.

Our schools don’t do wrap around care but a private company picks them up and does it off site.

As a heads up the school I have my kids in outsource to a nursery. Very expensive compared to in-house at previous school and due to Covid they couldn’t take all the children - I ended up resigning from my Job.

Good luck in getting it sorted.

I pay £120 a month for my 2 kids to go to the afterschool 2 days a week, so basically I pay £120 a month for 4 sessions a week from the private provider

I advertised at the local university for a childcare student to pick up my girls from school and then look after them at home until I got back from work. I got really great and good value childcare from someone who loved working with kids, and the student got paid but also got valuable experience and a great reference from me for her first job.

I specified I was looking for someone who was training to be a nanny or a primary school teacher in my ad.