what sort of childcare am I looking for?

[MsIngaFewmarbles]

I am hopefully going to uni in september and need childcare for our 4 DC before and after school/nursery. The person would need to take DCs to school and nursery (next door to each other) then collect them all at kicking out time, bringing them home and looking after them for about an hour and a half. If possible it would be a real bonus if they could do a small amount of cleaning too.

so who do I advertise for? A PT nanny, au pair? We don't have room for anyone to live in. Also what rate of pay would be acceptable?

anyone?

What ages are your children?

Could you get a childminder to look after the children, and then a cleaner for a couple of hours a week to do the cleaning up?

With the children being at the childminder's rather than yours, then it might be that there's less need for someone to do the cleaning anyway

If you don't have space to live in then you can't really have an au pair so, given that there's cleaning as well, you need a PT nanny housekeeper which might be tough with so few hours.

How old are the DC?

Does you Uni course continue during school holidays? What will you do at half terms?

I think we need to know;

a. how old are the children?
b. what hours do you want (drop to school and then 1.5hrs after kicking out isn't very clear!)?
c. what do you plan to do if school is closed/one of the children is sick and needs to be picked up?
d. what about school holidays?

thanks for the replies. The DC will be 10,9,8 and 3. All the CMs I have contacted have said that they either weren't interested or would charge £5pcph which is a horrific amount of money. There will be a couple of weeks in the summer holidays when I'm at uni but my ex will have the older ones then so would just need the 3yo looked after. Half terms seem to join up with reading weeks according to a friend who is on the course this year.

hours would be 8-9 then 3.30-5

I think you need an au pair, but not sure how many are willing to live out or what they would charge. Do you not have a breakfast/after school club nearby?

For the older children is there before and after school care? Would that work out cheaper? Can't believe how expensive the cms are quoting you! My dd goes to a cm and its £3.75 an hr.
Sorry not much help!

£5pcpd is a lot when you have 4... I just don' know how people manage it but it is the going rate around here. You might be lucky and find someone who will discount but it will still be a lot. After school club is probably your best bet as a lot cheaper.
Then get a cleaner in for a couple of hours.

well the school has breakfast and asc but its £5 pcpd and £9pcpd respectively plus an additional £15pd for extra hours at DSs nursery. That works out at £285 per week

I hate to say it but that is probably what you are going to end up paying one way or another. You might be entitled to some help with childcare costs through tax credits etc.

girlie, no TC here, dh earns just to much for us not to get them. Also as it's not work related childcare we wouldn't be entitled anyway, or would we?

too much

Yes you would - if your DH works 40 hours then it doesn't matter if you do or not, you still get tax credits (if he was under the threshold)

ooh good to know for a friend who's also applying. I know they get some TC now but she wasn't sure if she could claim when she's at uni.

I think you need a mother's help. No idea how easy it is to get one though, or how much you'd pay.

so mother's help or live out au pair?

Your problem is that there is no such thing as a live out au pair. The term au pair implies live in. A live out au pair is a PT nanny or mother's help.

okey doke, thanks. What rate of pay would either of those expect to receive?

It depends where you are, but in London a nanny would expect £8-12ph net depending on where you are, their experience/qualifications and (to a lesser extent) number of children.

I think you are very unlikely though to find a nanny who wants to work 2.5hrs a day and no work in the school holidays.

A mother's help would probably be around £6/7, but again I think it will be difficult to find someone for those hours.

I think your best bet would be to ask around your local area/the school and see if there is a student, another mum or older person who just wants a few hours a day/ little bit of extra cash, rather than looking specifically for 'a nanny' or 'a mother's help. For those short hours and the ages your kids are I wouldn't think qualifications or even much experience are important as long as they're kind, trustworthy, get on with kids and have some common sense.

I agree HolyNo, as long as they are trustworty, have common sense and like the kids we're happy.

A student, or someone older, who maybe has eg. cleaning jobs during the daytime would be good.

gumtree or similar?