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Original poster

Start work soon and still no childcare! What do I do?

165 replies

sayyiusayee · 25/03/2023 06:14

I'm suppose to start on the 12th April.

I've been trying for over a week to find childcare.

I wanted a nursery (haha, I didn't realise I wasn't getting one!), and they all said nothing at all until September, one even said September 2025 Blush

I've asked loads of childminders and they all say they don't have the availability

It's a good job for me. I feel so sad I might have to turn it down...

Honestly, what do people do? How do other people find childminders so much easier to get hold of than nurseries? They're all booked here

OP posts:
Dinersaur · 25/03/2023 06:17

Ime people plan ahead much further. I viewed nurseries when my daughter was 3 months old with a view to going back to work when she was one.

TheChoiceIsYours · 25/03/2023 06:17

Sorry but most people book childcare well in advance, round here its hard to get anything within a year. I imagine it’s the same in lots of places - you’re highly unlikely to secure good quality childcare for a week or two time. Sorry 😞

Rainbowqueeen · 25/03/2023 06:17

Is a nanny an option? Even a nanny share?
Family member you can pay in the short term?
Can your DH take some leave ?

Look further afield?

Is split childcare an option eg 2 days at one place and 3 at another

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Childcare & nursery Families
TheChoiceIsYours · 25/03/2023 06:17

I was 20 weeks pregnant when I secured my child’s place for when they were one!

Rollinghill · 25/03/2023 06:18

Pay for a nanny?

Original poster
sayyiusayee · 25/03/2023 06:19

It's only for 4 afternoons a week (not 4 full days), so most nurseries won't take her even if they had space as they've told me they just do full days (fair, there are loads of people wanting FT places)

Nanny definitely not an option

OP posts:
Lovelyveg80 · 25/03/2023 06:19

I've been trying for over a week to find childcare.

do you always leave everything to the last minute?

Original poster
sayyiusayee · 25/03/2023 06:20

@Lovelyveg80 I rang round soon as I got the job....

OP posts:
Lovelyveg80 · 25/03/2023 06:21

Honestly, what do people do?

plan in advance

Heatherjayne1972 · 25/03/2023 06:21

Oh no. Round Here you have to book nursery places whilst you’re still pregnant!
Is a nanny an option?
can you put out a shout on your local fb page for childminders?

Lovelyveg80 · 25/03/2023 06:21

sayyiusayee · 25/03/2023 06:20

@Lovelyveg80 I rang round soon as I got the job....

But you knew you were going to go back to work?

Original poster
sayyiusayee · 25/03/2023 06:22

@Lovelyveg80 again, now if you don't have the job yet?

This isn't a FT position I was aware I'd be in after a baby being born. So could put name down for nursery whilst pregnant etc

This is very PT and my child is now 12 months

OP posts:
Original poster
sayyiusayee · 25/03/2023 06:22

@Lovelyveg80 I haven't worked for 3 years, so no I didn't.

OP posts:
Lovelyveg80 · 25/03/2023 06:25

Ah shame.

In the short term I would throw money at the problem and accept I might be spending more on childcare than earning (although you will likely be entitled to 85% back from gov under UC) and put name down for afternoons at nursery

Rainbowqueeen · 25/03/2023 06:25

4 afternoons a week will be very hard to find professional care for as centres and childminders will need to have another child in the morning.

Is it possible to work 2 full days instead?? Then your DH can take some leave to cover until you find something.

MumOf2workOptions · 25/03/2023 06:26

I booked my childminder when I was pregnant! It gets rammed round here.

Childminders are quite flexible and you'd stand more chance of getting them to agree to afternoons only whereas nursery's tend to want to "sell the space for the whole day" as most people want all day.

If you can get a nursery space for September I'd take that and call in some favours from some friends and family? Is there anyone from any baby groups you could ask to help you? Failing that a nanny agency until September and contact your local college students doing childcare courses might be looking for summer jobs??

NormasJeans · 25/03/2023 06:26

Try to find out if there are any new nurseries opening in your area. If there are, contact them immediately and get your child on the list. Local Facebook groups are a good place to start. You could also contact local baby groups. I was lucky and spotted a banner announcing a new nursery outside a building and emailed instantly and managed to get a place when my child was small.

Only this week, I had a flier delivered through my door with details about a new nursery in my area- you may be in luck if you get asking and looking about.

Original poster
sayyiusayee · 25/03/2023 06:29

Unfortunately can't do 2 full days instead (I requested this but they just couldn't do it)

I can't afford a nanny so definitely can't go with that option

I don't think there are any new nurseries in the area but I'll check and double check anyway... it's semi rural and attached to a market town nearby but there aren't many nurseries... lots of pre schools which is great but they start from 2+

OP posts:
Iccle · 25/03/2023 06:33

Lovelyveg80 · 25/03/2023 06:21

Honestly, what do people do?

plan in advance

Why are you posting obnoxious comments?

Can you not imagine a situation where someone may have been out of work and then found a job such that they couldn’t plan in advance, or any other scenario.

If you haven’t got anything constructive to post, maybe don’t post at all.

BananaBlue · 25/03/2023 06:35

Congratulations on getting the job!

As it gets closer (so week or 2 before) can you let the job know that you are struggling to secure childcare due to the shift pattern and is there anything they can do?

Have you contacted your local children’s centre (if you have one) to enquire re childminders?

Rainbowqueeen · 25/03/2023 06:35

What about 1 full day and 2 afternoons??

Pennymixture · 25/03/2023 06:37

If you can't call in favours from family until you sort something more permanent then you're going to have to turn the job down.

I work freelance and my son is in nursery 3 days a week. I don't always need 3 full days of childcare but I have to accept paying for it as some weeks I do need all the days.

Just because you only need afternoons, it's unlikely that you can pay for afternoons only. You need to secure a place and pay for the days you work. Then maybe you can look to upping your working hours once you're settled in the job.

If none of this is possible maybe you should get your child's name down for a nursery ASAP and work towards getting a job for when she starts.

Thisisthewaywe · 25/03/2023 06:38

Don’t worry about the goading: it was obvious it was a new job. It’s so difficult if you aren’t working because you need childcare to work but you need money to pay for childcare: awful trap.

I know round here childcare is awful at the moment.

JessicaBrassica · 25/03/2023 06:38

You might need to pay for the whole day, whether you use the mornings or not. Or find a friend who just wants mornings and split the day?

PomsInOz · 25/03/2023 06:39

Unfortunately four afternoons a week is not an attractive proposition for a nursery unless you could find someone who wants four mornings a week and apply together which is unlikely to be something you can arrange by 12 April but might be an option going forward. There really is no other option if you don't have family and friends to help other than throw money at it. I appreciate that in your situation you couldn't apply in advance but the basic reason there is no availability is that others got in first. Hope you manage to sort something.

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