Evening Standard nannyshambles article today

[LCarbury]

www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/london-life/nannyshambles-what-do-you-do-when-the-au-pair-goes-awol-call-the-emergency-mary-poppins-8220340.html

Did anyone read this article on emergency childcare in the Evening Standard today? I didn't like the tone at all, it comes across as saying that of course women are in charge of organising childcare and also implies that women are disorganised and leave things to the last minute. It also implies that an au pair is a suitable all day form of childcare for small children and that it is acceptable to employ A2 nationals, the implication I think being that it is OK to try to pay as little as possible for your childcare.

I may be being oversensitive but just in case anyone googles and finds the article I hope they also find Mumsnet for some more helpful information!

I don't like it either.

They may of course have a perfectly legitimate arrangement but it does smack of economising on childcare. You get what you pay for though. I don't know many nannies who would take time off with a stomach ache.

It's possibly a good thing for them none of those Skype Clas to Romanians worked. They obviously didn't do their research.

My Family Care, Emergency Childcare, Tinies are all mentioned - perhaps its an advert disguised as an editorial?

It does seem like a big advert for the companies mentioned rather than an objective piece on emergency childcare.

I tried to register as an emergency CM with Emergency Childcare but they only take on childminders who are NCMA members. I'm not.

What a shit article.

How to manage the having kids and going to work 'lark'

don't want to have to say: "it's the children" when they're sick. Well, I do and guess what? So do the dads at my office.

Was she genuinely surprised that the £200 a day nanny provided better childcare than an au pair that probably gets paid around £75 a week and has no formal child care experience?

She mentions too many companies in the article for me to take it too seriously.

Maybe we should forward the article with your comment to Ms Truss, borntoshop

I had one of these £200 per day (more actually with VAT and booking fee) nannies for a emergency this week from Myfamilycare. Utterly hopeless (pleasant but completely incapable of engaging with or looking after DD), and I ended up having to take the day off as the nanny sent simply would not or could not look after DD. Don't be deceived by the price tag. I complained to the company straight away, very very inadequate service!