thinking of changing from childcare to nanny - please help me make a decision

[ferfer]

I have two boys, 6 and 3. I work two days a week and my younger child goes to childcare on those days and my older to out of school care. Both out of school care and childcare are very good. I am considering getting a nanny for a couple of reasons. Firstly, my younger child doesn't want to go to childcare any more - although it seems that he is fine once he has settled in for the day and he has some lovely friends. Every day he will say "i don't want to go childcare" (even on his non childcare days). Secondly, I live overseas, have a husband who is regularly away and who has a career that does not allow him to take time off if I am sick or there are issues with the children. All my family are back in the UK so I have no family support. As a result, after six years I am just so tired of never having anyone I can turn to for practical help when things go pear shaped. I think if I employ a nanny permanently who is able to offer extra hours when needed then i will have another source of childcare support.
But:
Am I crazy?
How stressful is the whole nanny/ employer relationship?
Will my younger son pine for childcare - will he miss his friends?
Will he lose all his social skills and be unprepared for kindy next year?
Will I really get the extra support I want?
Please help!

Will the nanny be able to offer extra hours when needed? Some might, others may want fixed hours.

Are there nannies where you are? What laws apply, such as any laws around paying someone, employment rights.

If you were in the UK you would be becoming an employer - is that also the case where you are and how easy/hard will that be?

What if your 6yr old didn't like the nanny - they don't like being in childcare, so would they really like being with a nanny?

Am I crazy? No
How stressful is the whole nanny/ employer relationship? Not very, most nannies do their jobs because they like them because they like caring for children
Will my younger son pine for childcare - will he miss his friends? No, it's only 2 days a week and he will like being with his brother, and anyway the nanny will probably help them socialise with other children in some way even if it's just being around other children in the park
Will he lose all his social skills and be unprepared for kindy next year? No, he's got a big brother
Will I really get the extra support I want? Yes, provided you think through the nanny job spec carefully and advertise, interview and pay for what you would like.

I have just changed from a brilliant childminder to a nanny and my son is so much happier being at home, they still do loads of toddler groups and things it's so much better wish I had done it ages ago. Also love going home where my son is settled in his own home, and we have a nice quality evening together.

I think you are in Australia - is that right? Nannies are certainly a possibility there and will give you some benefits over care outside of your home.

Your younger DS does not want to go to "childcare". What is "childcare"?
I think the types of Approved Care in Australia are:
long day care
family day care
outside school hours care
occasional care
in home care

What are these different types of care?

Does...
Long Day Care = Nursery + Before/After School?
Family Day Care = what we would call a childminder in the UK?
Outside School Hours = Before/After School Club & Holiday Clubs?
Occasional Care = ?
In home care = Is there a registration scheme for nannies?

My basic research indicates that ATO considers nannies to be an employee, and PAYG applies. If they work over 30 hours a week Superannuation applies. Most states require Working With Children Check (WWCC), which nanny must have every 2 years and when they start a new job.
Source: CareForKidz - Legal Obligations for Australian Parents

Contact an agency and see what information you can get from them for free, such as about becoming an employer and thus your legal obligations.

Talk to your children about what they are wanting... your 3 year old does not currently like being in "childcare" - why not? Is there something particular he does not like... will having a nanny solve that, or will he just then not like having a nanny?

Thanks so much for the replies.
Yes, i am in Australia.
My son is in long day care - from about 8am to about 5pm.
I've tried asking him why he doesn't want to go, what he doesn't like etc. He just repeats "i don't want to go childcare". He loved his carer in the toddler room but he has now moved into the "kindy" room (not a kindy, just what they call it) which has had a few staff changes and I wonder if he just hasn't bonded with his new carers as much and doesn't like being with the older children. I have contacted a small agency (recommended to me by a few people) and the owner is coming round to chat with me next week.