Do you have back up childcare

[Emeraldrings]

If you have a child of nursery age or young primary school do you have back up childcare option?
If they are sick and you have to collect them do you have people you can leave your children with?
Or do you and your partner (if you have one)sort it between you? I have zero back up except for DH and work are always on my back when I need time off. Are we that unusual to not have back up childcare?
Just to add DH does more than 50%of sick days so it's not like it's me who always has time off

How much time have you had off?

That's what I thought too @jannier ! That's why I looked it up, I was intrigued as to who would do that as a job? Surely it be pricey? And I certainly didn't want to leave my son with someone I didn't know.

No. Grandparents don't want to look after them. Husband works away so just me.

3 days off when he had chicken pox, and 1 full day for a sickness bug plus yesterday morning. That's in the space of almost 2 years though and all the bugs were from nursery anyway (where I also work). Is that bad or not?

4.5 days doesn’t seem much in 2 years for a child.
Mine has had more than that off nursery since September! ( no doubt caught there also).

Think mine had bad cough so no sleep so I kept off on a Monday as coughing constantly, by Monday afternoon it turned into fever. Tues, Weds, Thursday off with High fever and generally ill. The Friday nursery was cancelled as too many staff off ill by then also. So 5 days off.
Hes also had at least 3 afternoons or mornings for vaccinations, blood test, and eye appointment. Plus he’s due a 3 day Hospital stay next month. Nursery have actually had 3 days closed since September due to staff illnesses.

Luckily we are self employed

That's miraculously low.

I don’t have any backup, but until the mandatory covid isolations came in, I’ve never taken a day off work for DC illness. They’ve only been hospitalised twice between the three of them and DH has done those as he’s better with that stuff.

No we don't have any back up and I find it very difficult at times. We do get a few days paid a year (but only the first day is paid) so if a child is ill it's paying £75 for nursery but then losing a day's wage. I find it stressful.

We have grandparents so if we knew in advance one would be off (eg overnight D&V) then we’d ask them. If it was a “please come and collect your child” then usually DH. DH WFH and has a very supportive employer so he would almost certainly take it off. I suffered from antenatal depression when I was pregnant with DC2 and they gave him two days off to support me (I had a mental health crisis).

Nope, no consistent back-up. Some of the staff members at DC's nursery do private babysitting, but otherwise it's just me and DH.

I don’t think it’s reasonable to have someone look after the kids if they’re too I’ll for school so DH and I split it.

We have an after school nanny who can help if necessary and PIL for more general babysitting.

Don't have any back up but both work from home (with the odd bit of travel) so work from home will ill child

No back up. It always worries me on the days I need to be in the office 50 miles away and my husband is away with work.

We have nobody, but there are 2 of us at least. The grandparents are actually now at the point in their lives when they need help themselves, so are not able to help us.

Nope. No back up. My daughter only has one grandparent alive and he lives 4 hours away. I don't know anyone else e.g neighbour/ friend who would be able to either.

Sorry, you work in the nursery your child goes to? Or your workplace provide a nursery? If you work in a nursery I'm shocked they don't expect staff absence like this with children of nursery age. Ds just started nursery and the staff were telling me how they all get everything going this time of year never mind the kids.

No backup childcare. Me and DH just have to sort it between us regardless of the situation. Definitely stressful but no other option

No family but we do have a few friends in the area I could call for an emergency, DD rarely sick though and DH works from home full time so we don't have any issues really

I work in the nursery. Yeah you'd think they would understand, due to the nature of the job, but they really don't seem to.
I wonder if it's because it's a nursery chain. I think small nurseries usually understand a bit more.
Also my DH said they can't discipline you for being off with a sick child as you're legally entitled to dependent leave but I'm still worried. I didn't think his sick record (or mine, which is a bit less) was that bad, but obviously I worry when they talk about discipline etc.

Nope. Never have. It's crap.

So they expect you to find a babysitter who is just free whenever you need.....
We are lucky and rely on DGP one of the main reasons we haven't moved away from the area. But it's the reality of family life. As I earn less it will always be me taking the unpaid leave as and when needed

I'm past that stage now thankfully but no I never had backup and also was a lone parent so not even a partner to help.

I think you need to look into employment law and your rights, even if you decide not to stay in this job

In a nutshell are IF you an employee (not self employed /agency worker)

Time off for Dependants gives employees the right to take a reasonable amount of unpaid time off work to take necessary action to deal with particular situations affecting their dependants. Employees are entitled to this right from their first day of employment. The right comes from s 57A of the Employment Rights Act 1996. Employees who use this right are protected from dismissal or detrimental treatment for taking statutory time off for dependants.

The law allows you to take reasonable time off in five types of situations. These are when it is necessary:

1. To provide assistance if your dependant falls ill, gives birth, is injured or assaulted

You must notify your employer as soon as practicable the reason for your absence and how long you expect to be off work.

you have No right to be paid (some places do pay, check your benefits package before signing up!)

The time off needs to be necessary and reasonable in the circumstances. For example, if you are part of a couple or the other parent is active in the care of your child, the time off that is reasonable in the circumstances would take into account the fact that there is another person to share the care. (You have said this is true in your situation)

• Is it the first time you’re asking for time off for dependants? If not, how often have you taken time off for dependants before and for how long? (Although there is no limit on the number of times you can use time off for dependants if it is reasonable and necessary)

Disruption or inconvenience caused to the employer’s business should not be taken into account when determining how much time off is reasonable to deal with the emergency or unexpected circumstance involving a dependant.

https://workingfamilies.org.uk/articles/time-off-for-dependants-leave/

No, just us. I'm fortunate now and can work from home out with normal WFH days.

This was never an option with my eldest. Same company all these years.

And there you have it ....mucking up her ratios ....give notice and go elsewhere you can pick your nursery job everyone wants staff