How does childcare work when you do shifts?

[fairgame84]

Sorry if this is a stupid question but I used to work normal hours when DS was little so I've no idea how this works.

Im pregnant with DC2 and will be going back to work full time after mat leave. Im a nurse and work 3 or 4 13 hour shifts per week; days/nights/weekends, no set days or pattern.
DH works normal hours, mon-fri 8.30-5.

How does it work with nurseries and childminders?
Do we pay for the days we use or do I pay a retainer for the whole week and just send DC when needed?
Or do we have to send DC for set days and hours?
We have no family that will help so we'd need childcare otherwise DH will have to stay home.

For us my husband has had to become flexible with his working hours. So he works shorter days when I'm at work (starts later and finishes sooner). It's easier when I'm on nights as I can help a bit more on those days and on a weekend he's off. Xx

Also I've found that most people have a couple of set days at nursery and then try and swap to work some of those days or flexible nurseries x

I only worked nights/lates/weekends to avoid this and my H and I juggled childcare but I was totally shattered for about 7 years!

I would ask if you can have fixed shifts. Worst they can say is no. Stress that it's for childcare reasons and you love your job but are struggling otherwise ... emphasis of loyalty to them if you get fixed shifts and that you can occasionally pick up additional weekends when your dh is off to help out if that's not your fixed day

My ex sil did Friday sat sun nights 13 hours each when hers were little

There are some flexible nursery's about.
Tops is one of the national chains.
Tend to be more expensive but cheaper than paying for 5 days and only using 3.
It is frustrating how hard it is to get any kind of flexibility in NHS shift work, but how do other parents working on the unit manage? Where I worked we couldn't have set shifts but we could have a couple of days we couldn't work, so never work a Thurs or fri for example but work any of the other shifts. If they will do that then at least you have a tiny bit of routine if you wanted to attend a regular toddler class or lesson? You do deserve some quality of life and rest too.

All the nurses at my hospital seem to be using family as childcare hence they like the long shifts as it's fewer days a week.

I have yet to come across a nursery or a childminder that would be flexible enough. They all charge for a full time place.

I think you should discuss with your charge nurse. I was told by one very recently that the NHS does have a "family friendly" policy in place and while they won't advertise it, they do have to take your request into account.

You could also try and only pay for childcare Wed-Fri and if shifts fall on a Monday you swap with others.

My DM was a nurse. When we were small she always worked nights or weekends so my dad was about. He worked m-f 9-5.

Do contact local nurseries. One near us allows variable days each month with a small flexibility payment £50p month I think, and a good few weeks notice.
Means shift workers can give their monthly rota in advance and just pay for what they need.

After twelve years I left district nursing because they introduced a new shift pattern and refused to give me set working hours. DH worked away a lot, no family help and couldn't afford full time nursery just to use for three days a week.
I went into general practice for better hours and took a pay cut.
The NHS has most certainly not been family friendly IME and is part of the reason I would advise any 18 year old considering doing nursing, to look ten years ahead and ask themselves can they make it work.

I used to use a nursery near a big factory site, they charged by the hour and did a 'shift' rate, for people who worked rotating shifts.
I can't remember how much extra shift workers paid or what the rules were on how much notice had to be given.

So I'd phone every nursery in the area and see what they'll do for you

The NHS does not offer flexibility for shifts. It's a massive issue. Offering set days would be a huge boost for workers, and retain staff. But they refuse, without even trying it. So people leave and do bank or go to the more Mon-Fri 8-6 shifts away from the wards. I agree you'll need to work around husband work.

@cptartapp can I just ask what was the new pattern they brought in? I’m a district nurse, currently doing 8.45-5 full time, we do 2 weekends month each. Fits in fine with family life but there is beginning to be talk of merging with out of hours and creating one big team and we are all
Horrified!

Thanks everyone for your replies, its been really helpful.

To the poster who asked about what colleagues do, most use family for childcare. Unfortunately that's not an option for us as all of DH's family live abroad and my family live an hour away. My Dad is retired and in poor health and my Mum is a full time carer for an elderly family member with dementia so we're stuck using paid childcare.

How far ahead do you get your rota?

I know that amongst the other parents who use our childminder there is a police officer and a paramedic. They give her their days a month ahead and she is prepared to work around them. I don’t know how common this is though.

Op I have the same problem, I work shifts, and am facing having to put ds in childcare full time just to give all my shifts, but I only work 16hrs it's ludicrous. I've request flexible working but I expect I'll lose my job. :(

@plumpanddeliciousfatcat
Normally about 6 weeks ahead. We'll be getting the rota starting 18th April this week.

Our nursery offers a flexible rate which I use as a shift worker. It’s a more expensive rate than the set days rate but essentially cheaper than paying for full days that we don’t need to use. Like you, I have no set pattern, I just have to give the days we need one month in advance. So it might be worth looking around and checking whether any nursery offers this locally to you.

OP and @Casheeeew I’m sorry about the situation- it’s ridiculous. The nhs is so behind with this. I recently had to turn down a job when they wanted me to do 2 days (clinic job, Mon-fri) but have complete flexibility across 5 days with no set days. How on earth I can afford full time nursery/wrap around care for 2 children on a 16 hour week nurses salary is beyond me. The new nhs flexible working policy is all lip service and not followed. Given how many nurses are women of child bearing age, parents and people with other caring responsibilities I think the attitudes are disgusting and very much contribute to how understaffed and low moraled they staff cohort are. I hope you sort something- can I recommend doing bank/agency or private nursing?

My childminder is flexible to an extent although I've been with her 4 years now (started off instead of a nursery and now before and after school care).

It's a contract like any other. You can negotiate terms. I suspect most nurseries wouldn't advertise such a thing but they may well offer something if you ask.

I'm not a shift worker but we have no family to help out and it's still a complete pain at times. Good luck

I think you should be able to at least ask for set days (or to request not to be rota's on 1 or 2 weekdays).

This has been out a while but may have some suggestions of how to best frame a request.

www.nhsemployers.org/articles/flexible-working

And your DH is likely to have to be the default drop off/pick up person, with you stepping in when shifts and rota allows.

It's tricky OP. Good luck.

I previously was a childminder. I did have an nhs worker who just reqursted the one day a week i didnt work and Dh did as day off. That leaves 4 days a week childcare.

You work full time. You need the full-time childcare place so you can sleep and not burn out, no question. I bet this wouldn't even be up for consideration if the dad was working shifts and you were working normal hours. Why are you wanting to give yourself a mental breakdown?!

Firstly check your hospital doesn’t have a nursery on site. They are often more flexible, although places are like gold dust!

Secondly in my experience if you’re full time shifts get a full time nursery place. The ones i looked at there was a discount for full time, so it wasn’t that much more than 4 days. To go to 3 days i’d have had to cut my hours, but my shifts were only 8 hours.

Is it possible to fix days? When i did briefly go pt a colleague and I got together and agreed i would do sun-wed, and she would do wed-sat. Then we both only needed 3 days in nursery. If you do 3 or 4 long shifts is there a colleague you can agree something similar?

If your dh does 8.30 til 5 then a normal nursery should accommodate you as he can do the majority of pick ups and drop offs.

On my days off I generally just kept dc off. Late shift i dropped at lunch time. I just gave a day or so notice so they knew what to expect.

Lastly get more nursery days than you need if you can possibly afford it. Being able to take an odd day with dc in childcare to catch up on housework, sleep, christmas shopping, or just a day to myself was worth every penny.

I’m a nurse, I did nights when Ds1 was born and continued for many years. This was a long time ago and my Trust were very obliging. It changed a few years later and everyone was put under pressure to rotate. They tolerated me and a few others who did nights and ultimately it helped the ward. They wouldn’t recruit new staff just for nights though. Short sighted in my opinion but there we go.

I’m a ward manager now and have done the roster for a few years. I do try to be flexible with people if they have childcare needs, particularly established and staff members and they can of course put in a flexible working request.

It’s worth having a conversation, most people don’t have entirely flexible childcare and given the recruitment crisis, no one wants to be losing nurses.