Help me find an afterschool nanny please!

[DowagersHump]

I'm starting a new job just before term starts. I will be working from home a couple of days a week but will need an AS nanny 2-3 evenings a week. I've advertised on childcare and had two different nannies booked to come for interviews but they've both blown me out. I've also contacted a few other potentials who have looked at my ad a couple of times but they haven't replied either.

My job starts in 2 weeks and I'm panicking. Where else should I advertise?

Or would any of you nannies please look at my ad and critique it? I'm wondering if I'm putting people off somehow. I would have thought we'd be quite nice to work for (a couple of hours with a 6 year old playing on the wii and making his dinner) but maybe that's not very appealing :(

Local newsagents type shops - some places accept postcard sized adverts.

Maybe the hours are not attractive to most people.

What alternative childcare is in your area, afterschool clubs, childminders?

Thanks Nick - that's a good idea. I can put a postcard in my neighbour's shop window. ASC and the CM I used last year are not keen to work past 6pm but the train I have to get back from London doesn't get here until 6.10 and it's all massively stressful for both me and DS. He'd also be much happier at home although I appreciate there's not a lot of hours on offer.

I live very near a college which does childcare courses so I was thinking of putting an ad there too. I had thought it would be a really good starter job for someone who was doing their childcare qualifications because it's really not that hard.

It would but wouldn't most still be at college at 2.30/3pm? I know I was.

I used to have a job like that and I got it by answering an advert in the local Tesco - it was one of the postcard ads. It worked really well for me - I was fresh out of university and had just got a dream job which was only part time. The hours of the job were flexible so I was able to leave at 2pm every day to be there to meet the school bus at 3.15pm after taking the family's dog for a quick walk. I didn't have any childcare qualifications, though I had worked as an au pair, but the children were 6, 8 and 12 so as you say, it wasn't too hard.

NickNacks - I have thought of that. I've said in my ad that DS can go to ASC until 4-4.30 which he's happy to do if that works better for someone.

I will try the newsagents and cross my fingers tightly!