Whats the best way to find a Mothers Help?

[Meglet]

I used to use a couple of the girls from nursery as mothers helps but they are growing up and have lives & boyfriends so can't help on a regular basis.

Anyone know how I might find a mothers help? All the agencies I look at are for proper nannies or au-pairs and I would have to do their tax & NI . I just need a hand at tea-times / bed-times after work and the odd morning / afternoon at weekends.

You would have to do tax/NI for anyone earning over the threshold. It isn't that complicated, providing you agree a gross salary, and you can outsource it for just over £100/year.

Nanny/mothers help/au pair are all forms of the same basic job - domestic childcare. With any of those you become an employer and have to deduct tax and NI from their wages and pay employers NI however most au pairs earn under the tax threshold.

Weekend work may be a tall order. The standard deal is Mon-Fri with weekend overtime being negotiable and paid extra.

If you were needing fewer than 5 hours/day then, depending on what you needed and the ages of your children, an au pair style person could be a good solution.

Try:
Gumtree
Nannyjob
Childcare.co.Uk
The childcare section of your netmums local
Local newspapers/newsagents/small ads
Greataupair
Aupairworld

Remember in all cases to check their right to work in the UK, qualifications and references, have an employment contract and, if over the threshold, sort PAYE.

We got our MH from Gumtree. We had loads of people apply to the add we placed. We were clear we needed help at weekends and that didn't put people off at all infact alot of people seemed to be looking for weekend work.