Experience with after school nanny?

[Lench]

Single parent and my workplace is moving from 50% attendance locally to 100% in office attendance about 1.5 hours away.

DD is in year 6, we live a bus journey away from primary school. The bus comes every hour and is pretty unreliable, so she can’t walk home or rely on the bus service.

The school wrap around care closes at 6pm and can’t guarantee I’ll be back by then, in fact it’s quite unlikely.

I’m thinking I’ll need to get an after school nanny from 4:30pm - 6:30/7pm. And I wondered if anyone had any experience of this? (Although I can’t think of who these hours would suit…)

There’s no point in submitting a flex working request (never going to be approved) or asking family to help out (no one lives close enough by).

Any suggestions of how to find someone or any experience in this would be very gratefully received!

If you find someone good then it works very well
look at a student from a local college studying childcare or someone local with a qualification and DBS
some nanny agencies may be able to help
what and where is her senior school?
id actually also be looking at getting a different job or certainly keeping your eyes out

Id think about moving or changing job personally

I pay a college student (not studying childcare) to look after my Y5 after school one day a week. She can drive so is able to pick her up from school/ take her to her gymnastics class. Personally I don't think you need a qualified nanny for a Y6. I found her via a local mums Facebook group.

@superking have you had to set her up officially as an employee?

I’m looking at nannying agencies, they don’t seem to have anyone local at the moment though.

Another role might be possible, but would take time to find and these changes are happening imminently (very recently announced, too) so focusing currently on how I can just make it work.

It’s often suggested on here but I think it would be quite stressful, as you say I can’t think who those hours would suit.

I haven't although I probably technically should... We are both happy to keep it informal but it's only 3 hours a week as it's just one day. If it was every school day I would rethink.

That’s my thinking @superking. I think I need to employ them if it’s that often!

@tyredallthetimeyep, agreed. No idea who the hours and frequency would suit!

This is something Koru Kids do. Worth looking at their website even if out of area to see how they describe it.

Most likely candidates are often university students so depends on whether you have such places nearby.

If you can find a responsible student they would love a job like this. Are there any colleges or unis near you? It's pretty easy to set them up as an employee. There are online companies that you pay a very small fee to and they will do this for you including a small pension etc if you wish to contribute to that.
They issue payslips etc and might help with a contract. And if you go on to some nannying sites, you can check to see what insurance you would want to cover them working in your home.

Is it just for a few weeks until she finishes primary? Would your work be amenable to you delaying the start date of your return to office? If temporary, you may find someone this would suit. Eg student on a gap year, responsible sixth former, someone looking for work, someone on mat leave looking to bring their own child.

Or could you reach out to her friends and see if a few people would consider a weekly play date that you could pay them for? It’s only a few weeks, if someone asked me to take a friend of my child once a week until July I’d be more than happy to and would be cheaper than a nanny

Are you expecting the person to drive your child from school to your home ?
so you need a driver with their own car ?
will the person's current car insurance cover this - as it's paid employment.

something to consider / look into.

I would be asking work if I could delay the 100% attendance until September when DD starts high school. At that age she should be able to get herself to and from school ok.
Have you thought of calling your local authority early years and childcare team to see if they can provide a list of childminders who may provider wrap services?

Yes, they would need to have a car as the bus route is unreliable.

@RocketLollyPolly- it’s 100% office attendance so would be Monday-Friday until July.

There are a few colleges close by, im not sure how I’d get in touch with the students though, if its Facebook I’ll have to get an account.

@PinkPhonyClub- I’ll take a look into that, thank you!

What’s the plan for her secondary school re transport? I’d be inclined to explain situation to work and explain you need to keep current setup temporarily until summer hols and then switch to full time office.

I had an Teaching Assistant from a different school looking for extra hours. I think mine had to go to after school club tol 4pm so she had time to get there. She was great but we only had her for a year or so and she went off to train as a teacher.

I think I put my profile on Childcare.com or similar. I was reassured by the fact she was already employed by a school rightly or wrongly.

I think I’d just pay for a taxi to pick her up and bring her home.

Me too. There’s only about eight weeks to go.

I’d probably do the taxi too. Find a reliable firm. Even the same driver every day. Then she would be fine for a few hours until you get home?

If it was that easy I would do it (believe me!) There’s a zero tolerance policy and zero flexibility.

Secondary school is at the end of the road and is about 15 mins walk away.

I’ve put a profile on childcare.co.uk so will see if that leads to anything! Thank you for the hope 🙂

Koru kids has a lot of these sort of people, especially if you only need 2 months

I had briefly considered a taxi, I think she would be quite worried about that, but I’ll definitely look into it if I can’t find anyone professional to look after her. Thank you.

This is awful of your employer, I would still put in a flexible working request to protect yourself and show that you asked.

Good luck - me along with several other parents had zero luck whatsoever with after school nanny. Couldn't find anyone interested in only 2-3 hours per day. Tried KoruKids, childcare.co.uk and local neighbours.

What are other parents doing? Any possibility of asking another parent for help until she finishes in July?