Not Wealthy Single Mother in Wimbledon Child Care Options?

[Darlingdamsel]

I am single, 15 weeks pregnant, work in the charity sector (self-employed), and have to work to make money to live on. Lets assume for the father will not be supporting me (he isn?t British and has long left) ?

I need to find a viable option for childcare. I went to my GP to ask about options and got told about an expensive nursery (which I think is roughly £1500) and when I mentioned childminders ? I got ?good luck?.

I will get some working tax credits, and with that and my own income can possibly swing roughly £1000 a month (although a bit less would be really helpful). I am guessing that a nursery is out of the question ? although I would be happy to travel to someplace cheaper ? and ideas would be welcome!

That said are childminders so impossible to find? And what about a nanny share? Will it count against me that I am single?

There has to be a solution.

Help!

PS - How much are childminders and nanny shares in this area?

With one child, a childminder or nursery is your option really. You can use tax credits with both (whereas you can't always use that to pay a nanny, as not all nannies are registered).

You asked your GP? As in a Doctor? Not sure why you would ask them. Visit a SureStart centre and ask there, they may well have a better idea of local childcare options. Though you have done the right thing asking on here, as if someone in your area sees your message, they can tell you current local costs.

You can obtain a list of childminders from your local authority - I think that would be Familiy Information Service, [email protected]

You can also view details of some childminders (though possibly not all) on Family Information Directory (alas Cost details are often missing)

I think in SW19 area costs can be quite high. Probably in the region of £6-£7 per hour.

Some childminders will be listed on Childcare.co.uk (click the link, or their advert which is usually displayed when viewing this part of Mumsnet).

With regard to tax credits, do make yourself familiar with WTC2 (PDF) and WTC5 (PDF) leaflets available from HMRC. They explain the Childcare Element of Tax Credits. As a single parent you may be eligible, do find out what benefits you can get based on your circumstances and income.

Thank you Nick.

The details are much appreciated ...

Fingers-crossed that someone from Wimbledon weights in on the viability of finding something affordardable in this area! And good point regarding the nurseries, but they are they just are too expensive as obviously everyone has a load more money than I do in the area.

And I asked the Dr as I just moved to the area and thought she may have a bit more of an overview of what is happening in the area. It was an idea.

Smile.

Dees nursery in rains park

Sorry Raynes Park

Jules. Thank you! I live off Worple Road and so Raynes Park is definitely an option

Lovely! Will look it up asap!

Buffer Bear in Wimbledon Park (if its still there) was often cheaper and is a cooperative type operation so ethically good. Other options, as you say are 50 a day at least.

If you earn under a certain amount you will get lots of your nursery paid for using the childcare part of the tax credits - at least I did when I was a single mum - its worth crunching the figures and only working that amount - I think 3 days a week was best.

Why no childminders? There used to be loads.

deesdaynursery.co.uk - no fees info on their website though.

DickyBirds Queens Road, SW19

Falsey (can I call you that), I just found Bears and its about £150 + less than the nurseries around where I am and that is money that I can use ... so I am happy to travel! I will check it out.

And I have done the math - I will get between £700 and £900 per month (depends on year) for fees but that still could leave me with £300 - £500 a month to find and as I don't have that in cash - it will have to be a long-term loan. Not great.

Childminder would be much better as that could be a couple hundred less and I prefer that type of environment anyway. FIS sent me a list of 11 in the area and they don't show any availability - but I will be calling them. That said, several mothers I have approached on the street (got desperate) said they are quite expensive as there is limited supply ... so my calculations may be off.

Nick - there is two Dees it seems. The one close to me I called and they quite roughtly £1400, but perhaps RP will be cheaper?

Running off to look at Dicky Birds!

Thank you guys. I really appreciate it.

Alas Dicky's is £1350 ... If I only get £700, I would have to find £650 a month.

Sadly its not viable.

It was worth a try.

darling - we also did a childcare swap with friends for a couple of hours on the same day of the week - so a babysitting circle - that can get you another couple of hours a week for working at home.

Are you working at home or in the office?

Darling i am a childminder in SW19 give me a shout I might be able to help.

Falmses - Can I ask how that worked? And wasn't that a similar circumstance where the two policewomen got in trouble and Social Services said they had to become childminders (smile)?

I think it would make a lot of sense, except I work pretty full=time from home ... although I can work in the evenings and such. I wonder how I could find another women who would be interested. Likely after the baby is born in mother and child groups. Thanks for pointing out that option.

Cleverchick - PM you now. Thanks for popping by.

'LETS ASSUME THE FATHER WILL NOT BE SUPPORTING ME...LONG GONE'..... no the father of your child won't be supporting you, but the father of my child will and all the other fathers and mothers who pay into the system will so you can get tax credits......................

Onessa with all due respect please leave this thread.

Your post is neither helpful or nice. In fact I am reporting it as it's abusive to op. She is asking for childcare solutions not a debate about tax credits.

Chidminders in Raynes Park are a lot cheaper than in Wimbledon if you are prepared to travel a bit do drop off and pick up.

We have an absolutely fantastic one who costs £47.50 a day and there are quite a few that I went to see in my search for someone to look after DS who I would have been happy to leave him with and cost around the same or slightly less.

PM me if you want my spreadsheet of childminders I spoke to/visited! [slightly anal emoticon]

Darlingdamsel - Swapping childcare is fine as long as there is no Payment involved.

If you are legally minded, you can read the updated SI here: The Childcare (Exemptions From Registration) (Amendment) Order 2010

Babysitting circles are a little different in that tokens are used. However the care is provided in the home of the child who is being cared for - so again is exempt from Childminder Registration, in the same way that a nanny is exempt.

If you do opt for a nursery, I sent mine to Asquith nursery in Putney. Too far to travel for you, maybe, but I negotiated a different rate to their full time rate. As I was picking up my son at 3 pm, rather than 6 pm, they agreed to let me pay for half day plus two hours, which came out a lot cheaper than the full time place. Maybe this is something you can discuss with a nursery, if you were not going to need an actual full time place.

Congratulations on your pregnancy, and good luck!

(There is also a sure start centre on Roehampton Lane, if you have not found any nearer to you.)

darling - we got a group of 5 together from a toddler group and then 2 mums would be on with 5 dc for 2-3 hours in the afternoon and the other 3 would be off iyswim- obv it isnt going to be enough for anything substantial but it may mean you only need 4 days nursery instead of 5 if you can swing it.

oh and onessa - the OP is asking for childcare solutions so that she can work and pay tax - is that not what you want?

Nannynick ? thank you for the information. You have such a wealth of details and sources! Awesome.

QuintessentialShadows ? That is a great tip. As I work from home, that kind of format could work really well. Another innovative way to approach the problem ? lovely.

Falsey ? I will definitely look out for other moms who may also like something similar. As a single mom, those kind of groups may be instrumental to my sanity! Smile ? Plus I am definitely going to be faced with rejigging how I work.

Thanks everyone. Really helpful.

hi darlingdamsel,you could check the childmindetrs in morden as the going rate is about £4 an hour!i know in my area lots of cm have vacancies but i am in mitcham,the tram is very near.the going rate here is £4-5 an hour .

Cooperative nursery near wimbledon park, use to be Buffer bear

I found a childminder quite easily in Battersea for 45 a day which seemed to be about the going rate (some were more and nurseries were a lot more). About 1k per month