To think it's impossible to find reliable full time childcare if you have more than 2 kids?

[Grasshole]

I have 4 DCs aged 2 and upwards, and since I went back to work when my youngest was 6 months, I have found it nigh on impossible to find reliable decent childcare. I've tried nannies (impossible to find someone who drives despite offering my own car to use, and the few that we had left to go travelling after 6 months), and childminders (again, very difficult to find someone who drives, and difficult to find someone that will take all 4 kids). I was willing to split the childcare between the youngest and the older 3, who are all in school, but couldn't find any available nursery places for the youngest.

I thought I had struck gold when I found our current minder but she has let us down a few times in the early days so isn't the most reliable, but I'm desperately stuck so can't do anything about it

We pay well and I'm very laid back and easy to get on with so I just don't understand why it's so difficult. The stress of it is awful and I'm actually considering handing in my notice if this childminder doesn't work out.

Is it this difficult for everyone???

I'd go for a nanny through and agency and have the little one in nursery part time. You essentially need to double up your options.

All the nannies I know are drivers, as they realise that it seriously limits the jobs available to them if they can't, in terms of getting to and from work and doing school runs etc. Maybe it's area dependent. If you go for a slightly older "career" nanny, they are less likely to go off travelling, if they've got a mortgage to pay. You will probably be paying a bit more than a younger, less experienced nanny.

Hmm yes soring I have thought about that but then would need someone for the older kids in the mornings during the holidays etc (not the biggest deal but still an extra thing to work out).

I live in Ireland where childminding is very expensive as there are no tax incentives or reliefs/grants unless you are a very low earner, so I couldn't afford to pay a nanny full time AND have my youngest in nursery unfortunately. He will get free preschool hours when he is 3 but won't qualify for that until September 2023.

The main obstacle seems to be the driving, and I've tried hard to find someone who would actually just do the pickups and drop to the childminders, but can't find anyone. School is rural so too far to walk, and isn't serviced by a bus unfortunately.