Please help me solve this childcare nightmare im about to encounter!

[girlylala0807]

Ok. Flexible working request had been rejected. As of May I will have to work on a 7 week rollong rota including weekends. It will be 3 days over 7. I have recently become a single parent and have limited support available.

So. I will have to pay for my sons nursery place full time as he will be there on different days each week. I talked to the tax credit people and I will get most of this paid for as I will only earn £7000 a year. It just seems odd they will pay for it even though they know he is not there. Hey ho.

So this leaves the weekends...it would appear there are no options available. None. So my plan was to advertise on gumtree to try and find a part time registared nanny. The would work the same rota as me on a 7 week basis. However they would have a week free every 35 days or so when my son spends the week at his dads. They would also be paid holiday and stuff.

If anyone has any possible solution. Anything at all...help me!

bump

Nightmare. I take it he can't do more regular weekends at his dads? Are any of your colleagues in the same boat, could you child swap?

New job?
Or can his dad not have him at weekends when you are working?
Or you could ask the staff at the nursery if they would be interested in coming to your house at the weekends when you are working (the younger workers at my nursery do this a lot)

Dad will be available for 10 days every 40 as he is a north sea fisherman. New job im looking into but not such an easy task to find one at the moment. I will ask at nursery.

some childminders work weekends, maybe ask around a bit

What hours are you working at weekends and what hours of childcare would you need?

Is £7000 your annual Gross salary?
Are taxcredits saying they would cover all the nursery cost, or only 70% of the cost (childcare element of WTC) and what about the maximum claim amount, will that apply? How much are the nursery fees before taking account of any contribution via taxcredits?

Where are you, I guess if his dads at sea, you won't live near me. But to give your child continuality I would suggest a childminder who can work weekends and during the week.

I would speak to childminders, you may find one willing to do floating hours with occasional weekends and agree a minimum amount to be paid each week. Its definately something I would consider, you need to make it appeal by offering slightly above their advertised rate to accomodate the flexible hours.

Do you work in a profession with a strong union where its quite difficult to sack you? If you do you could be really cheeky and ring in sick if you have a difficult weekend shift and just cite the fact your childcare has let you down. Then after a couple of months speak to HR again and apologise for the fact that you've been a bit unreliable and request flexible working again?
Otherwise I'd try and find a new job (I'm presuming you're a nursing assistant)

I work in a museum. There is a Union whick I though I was not in but have been paying subs to since I started. I need to try and do something, I really like my job.

Yes 7000 will be my gross salary. Im limited to what I can pay as I will rely on tax credits. The upside to anyone wanting the job is that my son will go to his dads for 10 days each time he is home which could still be paid for.

Id have a look for a childminder to be honest, I would be able to accommodate those working hours, and have done in the past, mainly flight crew parents.

Sounds like a real headache, good luch

what reason did they give for refusing flexible hrs at work?

I am going to appeal the flexible working request. Something about not being able to cover the shift (interesting when there are 70 people in the team!) and the impact on quality of service. Im going to talk to the union.

you could be really cheeky and ring in sick if you have a difficult weekend shift and just cite the fact your childcare has let you down

That must be the worst advice I have ever read in this topic :(

It is very difficult to win an appeal against a flexible working decision - it is all very well for you to say that there are 70 other workers, but if they had to work more weekend days to cover for you it would probably mean their contracts have to be changed which would affect labour relations and might need a pay increase, so it is easy for the company to defend their decision.

They all work on rolling shits over 7 weeks as well. Nobodys hours would change. They have zero hour contract staff to fill in gaps and holidays.

*shifts even

Have you contacted your local authority Family Information Service for details about childminders, in particular those who may consider weekend work? Establish the cost involved and how much taxcredits may provide towards that.

Do you have spare bedroom? If so then I wonder if taking in a lodger could work - they they get a reduced rent in exchange for doing the weekend childcare.

Mr anchovy I obviously disagree or I wouldn't have posted it. your comment was utterly pointless.

I find it very unlikely this lady's company can't give her fixed work days each week, they may just need to be convinced its a good idea in a different way.

I hope you do find a solution.

Sorry, I agree with Anchovy - planning to take a sicky because of childcare issues is exactly the sort of thing that makes it hard for working mums to be taken seriously, or get a job or promotion etc. terrible advice!

OP - I think a childminder or au pair might be the way to go, though make sure you have a back up plan eg in case they get sick.

Goid luck

planning to take a sicky because of childcare issues is exactly the sort of thing that makes it hard for working mums to be taken seriously

It is also a one-way ticket to a final written warning for the first offence and summary dismissal without notice or pay in lieu the second time. Let's be absolutely clear, not turning up for work when you can't because of childcare problems is one thing and even the most aggressive employer will take some time going through a process to deal with it but if you call in and say you are not coming in because you are sick when you are not you are deceiving your employer and there is not a union rep in the land that can save you.

Karoleann I've just reread your post. The first time round this is all that registered:

"If you do you could be really cheeky and ring in sick if you have a difficult weekend shift ..."

The second time I see that it continues:

"... and just cite the fact your childcare has let you down."

That isn't calling in sick is it? Do you think that it is possible that someone reading that may well remember the first bit and not the second? And if they did, and thought that it was OK to lie about being sick do you think it is possible that they might lose their job as a result?

Im not planning to call in sick Im planning on finding a solution one way or another. Just looking for ideas :)

Swiching to a childminder and moving your son from nursery may be a solution. It could potentially save you a lot of money in childcare fees. I am a childminder and work weekends I have parents with irregular rotas where I have to keep a space for the child every day and they would only use 3 days each week. I like being less busy and charge a lot more per hour than for a standard contract with set days and hours. You would save yourself money on all the stuff an employer has to pay for if they employ somebody ... as childminder will be self employed.

I wonder if you could do an au pair/ nanny share with another family who have a full timer? I suppose that might still not cover it as the nanny must have days off during the week.

Really tricky one. I know how you feel about moving heaven and high water to keep your job, I feel like that about mine too.