What is the best childcare option for me?

[VickyMoves2London]

Dear Mumsnetter,

we will move from Brussels to London in the next weeks. As it wouldn't be enough that we need to find the right place to live, move etc. we also have to find someone who can look after our two children, aged six months and 3 1/2 years. Here in Brussels our children go to Creche and we have an aupair who picks the children up in the afternoon and looks after them until we come home. She is a nice person, but not that great with children, that we would make the effort to sponsor her to come with us to come to the UK. She has stayed with us for nearly one year and will have to go back to her country soon.

Our working hours are much more child-friendly at the moment than they will be once we move to London. My husband and I will both have to leave no later than 8am in the morning, depending on where exactly we will live and we have to commute to the City of London. We won't come back until 7pm and we will need someone to babysit at least 1-2 nights a week.

What would be the best childcare option for us? We are completely new to the childcare system in the UK. Would an aupair be an option? a nanny?

Thanks for your replies in advance,

Vicky

Live in nanny is probably your best bet0

LCarbury Thanks for the quick reply. What will a live-in nanny cost me? Will she expect to have her own bathroom etc.?

Depends on qualifications, location and experience. Budget £350gross, plus employers NI, an Oyster card and around £20/week kitty money at least (London activities are very expensive). Own bathroom is a plus but not essential, shared with children is preferable to a family bathroom.

An au pair really wouldn't be suitable. If it were wraparound nursery care then maybe but the babysitting I expect would involve doing dinner, bath and bed.

PAYE Calculator will help with calculating cost of taxation in the UK. If you got a live-in nanny for £350 gross per week, then Employers National Insurance (a tax that employers pay) will be around £30 a week. There are various nanny payroll companies who can assist with doing the tax paperwork, my employer uses PAYEforNannies.

I agree that a live-in nanny would probably be your best bet, if you have the space to provide someone with accommodation and if you want to have someone else living at your home.

Otherwise some Registered Childminders (provide care at their home for a group of children from different families) may work until 7pm. They may or may not also babysit. You could get a local babysitter instead - such as by looking on Childcare.co.uk
A list of childminders is available from your local council, so would need to know where in London exactly you would be moving to in order to find you the contact details for that.

A live-out nanny may be an option but the cost would be higher than a live-in. Could you give some indication of budget available for childcare?

Childminders can also help and will be cheaper. Go on the CYPIS site for London