Childminder ending contract early

[Crappants]

I live overseas so I don't know how it works in the UK, but here childminding contracts generally run from September to September.

Our childminder has told us that she will be leaving a month before the end of the contract date (July) to follow her husband's job.

There is very little childcare available where we are and so far had no luck finding anyone to fill in this awkward summer period. DH works full-time and I am a key worker so in work full-time as well. Leaving us with noone to look after DC. DH is WFH but I think it's far from ideal that he would be able to work and look after a boisterous 2 year old at the same time.

Between us, we can cover a fortnight of this time using annual leave but then we'll be stuck.

Would I be unreasonable to ask the childminder to stay an extra fortnight so that we're not left without childcare? I am happy for her and this great job her husband has got, but I do feel like she's left us a bit in the lurch.

When you say she's leaving do you mean she's moving house and leaving the area, or that she's stopping being a childminder?

Leaving the area, but will continue working in childcare when she finds a new job

You can ask if she will stay an extra two weeks, although she is giving you plenty of notice so you can’t really say she is leaving you in the lurch.

If she's leaving the area I don't think it's at all reasonable to ask her to stay.

I’m a parent and think her own family must come before yours, sadly. Can you take parental leave?

How are you going to take your kids to her if she is leaving the area?! She's self employed presumably, she can decide when she finishes, you cant demand anything!

You can obviously ask but I would be prepared for her to say no. She’s obviously decided the terminate her contracts early for a reason.

Yes, plenty of notice, which I am grateful for. In the lurch in as much as there are no childminders taking on over the summer so we both know we won't be able to find a replacement.

There is no parental leave provision in this country.

If she is leaving the area, where is she going to stay, for the extra two weeks, @Crappants? And if she does stay in a hotel or B&B, where will she mind your child - a hotel wouldn't be suitable premises, would it.

If someone is physically moving house and leaving the area unless you drive the kids to her then I don't think you can expect her to "delay" selling her house etc ......
you could ask her if she'd be a private carer for you and have her in your house for a couple of weeks maybe

Where are you based?

She will still have her house so she wouldn't need to stay in a hotel or whatever.

I do appreciate the general consensus is that IWBU to ask her to stick around for an extra fortnight, so I shan't.

Just to be clear - in the UK, a childminder is somebody who takes care of multiple children in their own home - is that what you’re referring to here? Or is it more of a nanny situation?

If its just for a few weeks can't you advertise for an aupair/summer babysitter?

Obviously it depends on the country but when I lived in Spain there were often young (early 20s) TEFL teachers looking for a short term gig over the summer to give them a bit of cash to tide them over to the next school year.

Or, if its just a case of keeping the DC entertained so your DH can work from home, is there not a teenager who might be willing to babysit and keep the DC entertained for a few hours?

Can’t you take unpaid leave for two weeks?

If your DH is WFH then can’t you approach local colleges for students studying childcare? They could look after DC in your house but DH would be on hand to supervise

Thanks everyone for your ideas I shall assume I am being unreasonable as noone has agreed that I could ask the childminder to stay a bit longer, but at least now I've got a few ideas to be going on with!