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

[sayyiusayee]

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

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

Most people I know read the entire thread before adding useless comments.

Surprised at everyone saying you can't get afternoon only childcare. Round here lots of people with school aged kids put babies in nursery for morning only so nursery would snap your hand off for an afternoon only child.

I had the opposite situation- nursery booked but job fell through. I really feel for you, it's so stressful.

Maybe it would be better to join an agency and just work the odd day when you can arrange ad hoc childcare. I don't know where you are located, but here we have a number of agencies that supply lab techs to the NHS and labs like Randox. They're always looking for people. One day a week shouldn't impact your CA.

It sounds like it’s not necessarily your need for childcare for your youngest that’s the issue, but your older child. If it was just your youngest, you could do something related to your previous career, and use regular after school clubs/holiday clubs. But, I do think that utilising the training and experience that you’ve already got is the best route out of it, it seems a real shame to be in low paid work when you have the skills to earn more. Could you do something that’s higher paid, and explore if there’s some 1-to-1 care that you could get for your child? Is there an LSA at your child’s school who would welcome some extra income? An LSA at the school l work at does just that. Obviously you’d need to be earning far more than you’d likely get in this part-time, school hours job, but it’s a route to a career that actually pays decently, which must be worth more, surely?

People are being pretty harsh here. You are between a rock and a hard place. You can't get a job without childcare in place but can't organise that childcare until you have a job. Sadly I think you are going to have to decline this job at this time.

I feel for you OP, the state of childcare in this country is abysmal. Its completely inflexible. I don't blame the providers, they need to make it cost effective but it just doesn't work.

I had DD14 in childcare when she was a baby. I organised it when she was 6 days old, to start a year later and I was lucky to get a space then.

Op long term wouldn't you be better training as a teacher or lecturer?
So you get term time work but with better pay?

Waiting lists depend on where you live, some areas you can access it at short notice and I think many people don’t realise the difficulties with childcare places.

The government are promoting all of this free childcare plans it gives a false impression that the childcare actually exists.

However providers are struggling, the government is not paying enough and chuck in ofsted inspections and many providers are deciding it’s not worth it or tightening up their offer or adding charges.

The new feee childcare rules are an empty gesture to gain popularity. By the time they come into play this government might not even be in power and it will be another government tackling the problem of lack of childcare places to match the offer.

OP

I understand the main problem is not being able to find a nursery/childminder with space.

If you ring up UC on Monday, explain that you have found a job but are struggling to get childcare, is there anything they can do to help with regard to the registered part, they might be able to suggest some other things, for example a babysitter and what they would qualify, its a long shot, but I known friends have found them very helpful, when explaining they cant work, unless xyz happens

I sorted childcare when I was pregnant!

Don’t give up.

Put an ad in the paper asking for exactly what you need and what hours.
if there is a local school then ask there, one of the mums might know someone.
put an ad in the local shops and church.

don’t discount a nanny, you could get a childminder that comes into your home, this would be cheaper than a professional nanny if that makes sense. There are lots of older women with older teenagers with tons of experience who would like a few afternoons work every week.

keep looking and don’t give up.

You sorted childcare while you were pregnant for a job you didn’t have and while looking after a disabled child did you?

That is the OPs situation, she has already explained that she was not on maternity leave with a job to return to.

@BessieSurtees oh bore off being so patronising!

Perhaps if they op actually posted their situation in the opening post rather than as a bloody drip feed they'd get proper advice pertaining to their very specific situation...

Older people, teenagers and babysitters won’t be registered and therefore UC will not help with the childcare costs.

Op just a thought, I'm assuming the council will be your employer. Do they have any influence over their own nurseries to help get you a space?

🤣 I’m not patronising, just read the thread and move on when you have nothing useful to add. How was your post helpful or useful to the OP?

Have a lovely Saturday @BessieSurtees

Childminder, or two childminders to cover the different days if none have all four afternoons available.
An alternative is to pay for four full days at nursery while you sort something out longer term. Might be the best solution for now.
Or you could try and patch it between you/partner and family/friends help, that may be cheaper, but much harder, especially if you dont have family local to you.

Don't give up on the job though, and remember this is both you and your partner's problem to solve. Without being completely ridiculous and suggesting he do the childcare when he's working, he can help find solutions.

I've read all of your posts OP and just wanted to say how sorry I am that you're in this trap. It's so, so unfair.

I don't have any suggestions apart from to take unregistered babysitter, however I can see you've separated from your husband so unless he'd be willing to help out, that might be a no.

Does the school not have early years provision? Ours does a discount for children of staff and it is registered. I would speak to them anyway, they should be very understanding even if they cannot help you.

If that is not an option, you will have to turn the job down and wait until you start getting the free hours.

Take care x

My childminder said the same about these "free" spaces she said across her local childminding network, people are concerned about how this will work when it's rolled out. There's not enough spaces as it is. She said it's already your difficult fielding lots of calls about availability and some people are rude which is just awful when people are providing a service and she said that afew of the childminders are thinking of only taking children from 4 and doing wraparound and holidays - especially some of the older childminders to get out of the craziness!!

You really should have sorted it the day you took the pregnancy test though.

My childcare requirements changed when LO was born as it was Covid and I had moved CS departments whilst on Mat leave and I was lucky and able to get a space at a really good nursery. I am now pregnant with my second and I put their name down for a space following my 20wk scan as I wanted to make sure I got the space and the days I wanted.

Have you rung round childminders?

I think that it’s 4 afternoons is the big problem really, even if there were spaces I think you would struggle to get someone to risk possibly blocking out their mornings or you might have to pay for the whole day.

It’s really tough I’m sorry but if you can’t get childcare then there’s not much you can do than turn down the job. I know you already know this.

What do people do? They organise childcare as soon as baby born if not before. Easier to cancel/change than to find at last minute. Can your partner take leave until you sort it ?

Maybe read OP's posts? There is no partner available.