What do we need?

[alexw]

Both dh and I work full time (teachers). Dd1 at school and can be dropped at 8 and picked up as late as 5.30. Dd2 in daycare nursery can be dropped 7.30 and picked up 6ish if needed. However, we have no family at all anywhere near so if nursery say dd2 cannot go (eg if she has had a temp) we need someone to fall back on. Also my job is about to get very hectic indeed (big promotion) so I would love someone to help with drop offs/pick ups, maybe feeding dds their supper and also being there for days when nursery say no. I don't want to take dd2 out of day nursery - she'll go to school nursery this time next year. So drop offs then could be 8.30 for both (to same place) and pick ups about 4pm. What would be the best solution for our situation? Thanks

I don't quite understand. If you don't want to take dd out of the nursery, what you're actually looking for is someone who's available at short notice if she's ill. Unless you have a relative/friend/neighbour who's up for this, or a childminder who's happy to carry a space and have your dd only occasionally, then I don't see how you can formalise an arrangement. You don't say much about your dh's timing/flexibility.

If you have a spare room you could user an au pair - to help with school/nursery runs and they may agree to being on call and/or caring for sick children. You would need to make this clear from the outset though, and I would recommend a slightly higher rate of pay than normal, them an agreed hourly/daily rate when they are actually needed.

If your daughter is excluded from nursery for sickness then a cm would exclude as well, so thats no good.