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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Childminder 3 weeks sick.

112 replies

OttilieStonelady · 27/06/2021 22:17

My childminder is unwell and has messaged to say she is closed for a further two weeks. She's been closed for a week already. Not her fault of course. She's a wonderful lady and I have no doubt that she's actually unwell. I'm just a bit stuck as a lone parent. I can't seem to find any alternative childcare last minute, childminder doesn't know of anyone and all my family work full time. I only have half a day of annual leave left and can't afford to take unpaid time off. Also have a huge deadline at work. Not really sure how Mumsnet can help but could use some words of solidarity and hearing other people's experiences? Feeling extremely anxious about this! It's made me question my parenting ability and whether my child is going to end up in difficult positions in the future because I'm a lone parent with very little help. Thoughts running away with me...

OP posts:

Glovesick · 27/06/2021 22:43

If you are vaguely churchy, there might be a nice person locally that would help.

Original poster

OttilieStonelady · 27/06/2021 22:43

@Glovesick

If you are vaguely churchy, there might be a nice person locally that would help.

I'm an atheist, but good at pretending!

OP posts:

Glovesick · 27/06/2021 22:44

How old is your child now?

Original poster

OttilieStonelady · 27/06/2021 22:44

@Glovesick

How old is your child now?

Two

OP posts:

Jellybabiesforbreakfast · 27/06/2021 22:45

Try posting on childcare.co.uk. Hopefully you'll get a reply.

Do you have any mum friends locally who could help? I'd definitely offer to help a friend in your situation, if only for a couple of days so you could organise something else.

Any possibility of family helping?

Original poster

OttilieStonelady · 27/06/2021 22:46

@Jellybabiesforbreakfast

Try posting on childcare.co.uk. Hopefully you'll get a reply.

Do you have any mum friends locally who could help? I'd definitely offer to help a friend in your situation, if only for a couple of days so you could organise something else.

Any possibility of family helping?

My family are awesome but all work full time, and my sister, as wonderful as she is, wouldn't cope.

OP posts:

HalfShrunkMoreToGo · 27/06/2021 22:47

Have you got any of the busy bees nursery chains near you, I know they used to advertise that they did emergency childcare

Jellybabiesforbreakfast · 27/06/2021 22:52

What is your sister's situation? It's not clear - is she working/ does she have children of her own?

If she's not working, might she be able to cope if you booked a babysitter to help? So sister takes your DC at 8am, DC in front of the TV for a couple of hours, babysitter arrives at 10am and takes DC to the playground/for a walk, babysitter does lunch and plays with DC until 3pm, babysitter leaves, DC back in front of TV/plays with toys until you arrive at 5-6pm...

bigbluecup · 27/06/2021 22:55

I used to babysit through childcare.co.uk and now I hire nannies and babysitters through there myself for my DS

plenty of students (uni) on there who will be willing to help. I was worried at first but I found so many who were studying childcare courses, teaching or medicine and wanted work throughout the summer. Basic understanding of care, many have had to have DBS checks and done first aid courses already as part of their training

FlowerArranger · 27/06/2021 22:58

When I was in the same boat I used a nanny agency.

Summerfun54321 · 27/06/2021 23:17

Just get a well qualified nanny through an agency or one of the websites childcare.co.uk for example. I had to get emergency nanny help before and you want someone who really knows their stuff, can just get on with things and you don’t feel at all nervous leaving your DC around them. I wouldn’t choose someone unqualified or inexperienced for emergency childcare.

Viviennemary · 27/06/2021 23:21

Find a nursery. If you haven't got back up a childminder just isn't reliable enough in a lot of cases.

Excited101 · 27/06/2021 23:25

Get on a local mums/nannies page on fb. You’ll be able to get a nanny for the week that way.

JedEye · 27/06/2021 23:53

What are the other parents doing while the childminder is closed? Maybe you could help each other out?

buckeejit · 28/06/2021 00:01

Facebook and shout out to any locals that might be able to help.

I'm a childminder and in our area its Social Workers that inspect us, (rather than the Education authority like in England), so they should be able to help, even if its just signposting. I regularly have social workers calling me with people looking for help in a tight spot, but think that's due to my specific area

ZZTopGuitarSolo · 28/06/2021 00:07

I either hired students or used nanny agencies when similar happened.

Students were fine for short term crises. I didn't know them particularly well but I also couldn't afford to lose my job.

Dobbyisahouseelf · 28/06/2021 00:15

Depending on the age of your child what about a Sixth former, lots around wanting part-time jobs before university.

Mytwopennysworth · 28/06/2021 01:23

I know this dosnt help you right now. But, I use to use a childminder in NZ, I signed up for one through Banardos, if my childminder was unwell or taking leave then they would find you a back up childminder. They would set up meetings before hand and you would choose which minder you wanted and who you’d like to use as a back up. There was another company that did it too. There is definitely a market in the uk for these types of networks.

Notmyfirstusername · 28/06/2021 03:20

Have you tried the local colleges or universities that offer early years or teaching courses? If training they would be DBS checked and the tutor might be able to recommend a trustworthy student that wants extra work for a few weeks or a trainee teacher willing to work whilst waiting for their September job to start.

ScissorsBike · 28/06/2021 03:36

There's an obvious solutions - sitters.co.uk. Don't be weird/snobby about using qualified childcare you found on this site instead of a recommendation from a FB Group page

RainingZen · 28/06/2021 07:20

Sorry you're in a tough spot, nightmare. You said that YOU don't have any vacation left but could you beg a family member or members to help by taking some time off work to look after your child? You could offer to pay, obviously.

Regarding work. Having no childcare is akin to you being ill. You are allowed to ask for time off unpaid. I appreciate this could be very, very difficult if you have a big deadline coming up but it might be your only option. And eat sawdust for two weeks while you have no income.

StealthPolarBear · 28/06/2021 07:36

Can you combine wfh, office for the bits that you really need to plus a student (you'd be home most of the time anyway so not leaving alone)
Otherwise you're going to have to take ds into the office with you with a screen and hope a nice colleague offers to take him for a walk while you do what needs to be done.

StealthPolarBear · 28/06/2021 07:37

Yes otherwise you'll have to take the unpaid leave and the consequence of not meeting the deadline

BunnyRuddington · 28/06/2021 07:43

You say that nurseries won't take him if he's not registered - could you remove him from the childminder and start him somewhere else, especially if he's not of an age to start school this year. Nurseries are much less likely to close due to suckness/staffing issues.

I thought it was time to get registered at a Nursery as well.

ivfgottwins · 28/06/2021 07:48

It's not as simple as "just register him with a nursery"

In my area it's £60 a day for a nursery or £35 a day for childminder.....nurseries are completely unaffordable for full time childcare for most people.

To be honest no matter how lovely your childminder is I would be saying to her that she needs to help you find emergency cover - she will be a member of local childminding groups so should have contacts you might not be aware of

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