WWYD with a cleaner in this situation?

[Cornwallian]

At the start of the Ukrainian war we volunteered to host a young woman. She moved in with us and was lovely and all worked really well. In Ukraine she was a teacher but the language barrier made that impossible here. She worked hard to learn English and hoped to get a professional job. She discovered she was pregnant a few months after moving here but continued to live with us until after the baby was born. She could no longer work. We adored the baby but with my kids at exam age it wasn’t practical for her and the baby to stay living here with sleepless nights etc so the Council found a home for them. When she moved out she knew I was looking for a new cleaner and asked if she could have the job so a bit of money would be coming in. I agreed and even upped the pay to £20 an hour as I wanted to support her.

She has been our cleaner for well over a year. She is dire. I pay 5 hrs once a week and I have to search for evidence she’s been. Old coffee mugs aren’t removed from bedside tables in my kids rooms, dusting is never done, hoovering is patchy. She brings the baby who can now walk and actually trashes our house while her mother cleans. Today my lipstick was used to draw circles on my mirror.

I am paying £100 a week for my house to be made slightly messier. I really don’t want to be an awful person but I can’t afford this. I pay for a cleaner because I work full time with teens hone alone making a mess and I need a good cleaner. But I feel so much for our cleaner, she’s a great woman who’s been dealt a hard hand. I cannot fire her. I just can’t. My kids would t let me as they adore her and the baby. They thing in should pay her and pay another cleaner another day to do the actual work.

WWYD?

You're well-meaning but bonkers! Pay a cleaner who actually cleans and in addition give this woman money if you can afford it. You're not responsible for her. In the time she's been here has she learned English?

If you can afford it pay her for something else - tutoring your kids maybe? And definitely get another cleaner.

Yes you can fire her. She isn't doing what you pay her to do. That isn't complicated. Just fire her. It might be uncomfortable but the alternative is that she takes you for a total mug. She isn't stupid, she knows she isn't cleaning and that her child is trashing.

Don't be such a soft touch.
It's not working, it never will.
Tell her why you're letting her go and don't back down with whatever story/promise she gives.
Get a cleaner who comes with recommendations.

Yes you are well-meaning and I understand that you have sympathy for this woman in her position.
But I'm also presuming that you've had a word with her?
If her cleaning abilities have declined since she had her baby why are you allowing her to keep working for you?
That is going well OTT.
Can you not ask her why her cleaning is not up to par anymore?
She'll realize that you're on to her and she'll either answer you or she won't be too surprised when you regretfully tell her that she must look for another job somewhere

You can support her by having her over to eat and giving her things she needs for the baby. She is taking the piss out of you if she’s prepared to take your cash knowing she’s not doing any cleaning. There is no dignity for her in the current situation. Cut the pretence, get a proper cleaner and hand over money for nothing if you want to.

Tell her you can no longer afford a cleaner if it helps. Then find an actual cleaner.

I think she’s trying to do a good job but she has never been a cleaner before and has a hyper toddler.

Yes she has learnt English but not enough to teach here or get a professional job plus she now has the baby. She has nobody to help care for the baby. No family or partner here and her friends all work so can’t help. The only babysitters she has are my kids every couple of weeks for an evening.

Cash in hand I presume?

It sounds like you've made your mind up OP to help her by continuing to let her clean for you in the hopes perhaps that she will learn to do a better job as she goes along.
However I think that is a stretch because why would she if you are paying her for what she does now?
I agree there is a difference between helping her by giving your cash for doing a poor job and helping her in other ways that are not transactional and dependent on her doing a proper job for the money.

I’d invite her over for dinner once or twice a week . Also spend £20 on fresh food veg. .
This then frees up your money for another cleaner and you can still feel like your helping and she won’t be so isolated .
Just tell her it’s not working .

You're paying £100 a week for nothing in return.
You've done your bit she's not your responsibility.

5 hours a week, how big is your house?? And that's before the fact that she can't do the job. I have a bridge for sale if you'd like to buy one.

My kids would t let me as they adore her and the baby. They thing in should pay her and pay another cleaner another day to do the actual work.
WWYD?

Get your teens to do her job for her, all 5 hours of it, but give her the wages. See if they're still so keen on spending your money on nothing.

You and your family did a kind thing, but I think you're allowing yourself to be taken for a mug. You can still offer support, but she needs to take responsibility for her, her child and her finances. Expecting wages for a shoddy effort wouldn't be tolerated by many employers so you're doing her no favours by giving her the impression that it doesn't matter.