To think childcare should accommodate varying shifts?

[Somanyproblems]

I'm really struggling. Expecting first baby next year and am starting to look at childcare options.

(A nanny is not even a remote possibility, neither is an au pair.)

I have to start work quite early - at 8. The good thing is that I finish fairly early as well. However, this massively limits my childcare options. There is only one nursery that I've found we could use that opens before 8, and it really doesn't look very nice at all

Is this what people have to do - leave their baby somewhere they aren't happy with?

Needing childcare from 7:30am near your office or 7am near your home will be a problem for the next 11 years, the first 3 to 4 can be covered by a nursery. A nanny share might well be the best solution after the first few nursery years, worth sounding out any local 'mum friends' you make once you have your DC.

I'm a childminder (unfortunately not in your area) and am happy to accommodate 7am starts as long as parents understand that we won't be doing structured activities at that time of the morning. I also have a policy whereby if I'm sick (hasn't happened so far) I know six other local childminders my parents can use as a backup. I don't advertise my services as most of my business comes through recommendation so that could be the case where you live, why not call your local families information service and see if they have any more childcare providers listed that you don't currently know about?

Good luck OP, I hope you manage to find someone.

We have all tried to offer solutions but you seem to be fixed on what you want, which isn't available.

Hate to break it to you but there is a gap between what you want and what you have available. You need to get with it and figure out a solution rather than expecting someone else (I.e. The nursery) to figure it out for you.

I've explained time and time again that the solutions are not workable.

I can't afford a nanny. They are not really a 'thing' here; I've never known one person with one and a nanny share is out. I can't afford it.

I can't get an au pair. I don't have the space.

I need someone reliable and who starts before 8. Neither childminder does.

I can't use working flexibly to start later.

I've found a nursery I can use and it's not ideal but I can use it.

I'm a bit lost with the way the thread has gone to be honest!

To answer the question you actually asked OP - yes I do think childcare to cover shifts should be available. The Government are keen to get as many people working as possible but that isn't feasible if the childcare isn't there. The problem is that most childcare is provided privately and as others have said those providers will simply operate according to the local demand which unfortunately in your area is from 8am!

As someone mentioned above, there will be more than two childminders locally. The good ones don't need to advertise, it's word of mouth - you'll get to know them at playgroups and through local parents groups (Facebook and IRL). I still think you need to revisit this after you've had the baby. A solution and priorities will be more clear to you.

Like you say, you have found a nursery you can use. So you don't really have a problem. I appreciate that you may have wanted to start a wider discussion about the availability of childcare to people who work outside of the 9-5 model though, and I do agree with you that this is something that needs addressing to encourage parents to keep working. However, I know an awful lot of people who have changed their jobs/employer/profession to fit around available childcare hours.

This is the reality of having kids. It shakes up everything in your life. You adapt, you change, some things you embrace, others you resist.

OP, put DCs name down at every nursery going to get on the waiting lists then forget about it for another year. Honestly I think that's your best bet.

I bet your DC will love the bright garish nursery. You might not, but you're not a child. I imagine you'll also realize at some point that projecting your own preferences will be totally futile!

nanny. They are not really a 'thing' here; I've never known one person with one and a nanny share is out. I can't afford it

You do not need to emply one full time or even on a nanny share, lots of them will do odd hours and usually it's cheaper than antisocial hours with a CM or nursery. Mine does 1 hour 45 mins each day but I can arange more if I have a 3/4am start. They aren't all eye wateringly expensive I know many of them on piss poor wages, a lot depends on qualifications and experance.

Well, the point about a nanny share is you have someone full time, but if they are looking after a second family's child as well, you only pay half their wage. Around here, that would mean you went from paying around £2.5k a month (nanny full time wage) to £1250 a month, nursery places around here are £1.1k a month, so there's not much in it, but gives you a lot more flexibilty. It can be tricky finding another family close by who needs the same hours, but it's an option you could explore, or at least keep in mind if you find someone in a similar boat when on maternity leave.

OP you say (several times, I HAVE read the thread!) that you can't have flexible start times, yet your employer would let you drop say a half day or a day. If that's the case, might they find that they could actually manage without you being there at 8am - ie if they can manage 8-12 they can manage 8-9? Have you sat down with your boss/HR person, put your cards on the table and asked them what they can do for you?

Rather than flexible hours, would they allow you to drop 5 hours or 2.5 hours a week so you could start at 8.30 or 9, but with a pay cut?

I had an employer who would not let me work flexibly (ie 4 long days and 1 short day) but they did let me drop half a day (and lose the corresponding pay) so that I could pick my son up from school one day a week (used CM for 2 days and DH did other two days).

Where I live most CMs work from 8am. I was lucky that I found one who worked from 7.30 when my son started school. The nursery I wanted to use opened from 7.45 but the timing didn't work so I also had to go for a more noisy, institutional nursery which was part of a chain because it opened at 7.30 (the 15 minutes was worth 45 because of traffic if I'd gone later). It was fine, though my son was 2 by then, not a baby. We do have quite a few nurseries around here that start from 7.30, I don't think any start earlier though. Last pick-up is 6.30.