How on earth do I find a new after school nanny/au pair?

[AlisonandJelly]

My new nanny quit and finished on Friday. It was her first month's work so she gave the required two weeks notice. I have advertised on Gumtree, Findababysitter.com, childcare.co.uk and contacted Tinies to no avail.

I need someone 5 days a week 3.30 to 6.30 but finding someone this time around seems to be impossible. Any advice would be helpful. I am relying on a student as from next week who has dropped out of Uni but he will go to do a ski season soon.

I feel terrible that my children are being provided for by so many people - my previous two nannies were excellent. Was I just lucky?
I live in Moseley Birmingham - a nanny free zone I think. Now I am thinking an au pair would be the only option but I am worried about living with someone else and providing for them along with working for my unsympathetic boss.
ADVICE PLEASE...

Have you tried postcard sized adverts in local newsagents, postoffice, anywhere really that displays classified ads?

3 hours per day may not be enough for people. Someone claiming tax credits for example will need to work 16 hours a week (I think that's the minimum to be able to claim)... could increasing the working time by 15 mins a day make it more viable for people such as another mum? Would you be willing to let them bring their own child with them... if so, that may attract more candidates.

Think I have found your Gumtree advert. It's lacking info. I suggest editing the ad to include: Hours of work, Salary, indication of it you will accept someone with their own child, details of if you need someone with a car. Details of if it is Term Time only, or if it would also be all day care in school holidays.
Add as much information as you can... the advert (assuming I've seen the right one) has had 501 views... so it's getting looked at but you aren't getting responses - thus it needs rewording, more info added in my view.

Your Childcare.co.uk entry looks ok. Have you contacted people offering Babysitting/Nanny/AuPair in say a 3 mile radius of your location, asking if they would be interested in the position?

this person for example has logged in to childcare.co.uk recently, says they are working in a pre-school and after-school club. They may be worth asking, as they may prefer doing nannying instead of the after-school club... your job would fit with their pre-school job.
Never know they may like to do it, so they can add being a nanny to their CV. May not stay long though - but always hard to tell.

I used to nanny in Moseley when I was a student at Bham. Have you tried advertising in the Job Zone at the Uni? Would you be willing to accept a share between 2 students?

Most students are only just coming back and don't know their schedule yet so you might find you get more applicants in a couple of weeks.

A lot of the after school nannies in the area were students although there are a few others. Is a nanny share or a nanny with own child an option for you?

For live in au pairs try places like au pair world - people on here have been known to come up with treasures at short notice!

I use a nanny with 2 pre-school children of her own. she doesn't want a full-time job (and probably would struggle to get a nanny job with 2 little ones in current climate where I am in Hertfordshire) and it works out well for her. She also does holiday cover for me and days when my daughter is off school sick. It is difficult to work out annual leave etc. but I seem to have sussed it now.

Maybe you could ask round to see if there are other e-nannies who have given up work to have children?

also if you want to message me with details of salary etc I might be able to help as I have friends in that area (used to work at Cadburys and live up in Moseley in the week before I had DD)

Do you have a local college which runs childcare courses? The position might be of interest to a student there and fit in with their classes. I am going back to work in January and am planning on contacting our local college to at least display adverts for an after-school nanny.