Would I be able to get a childminder for just a few hours a week?

[FEEdec]

Hi

I'm in the position to do some extra hours in the week for job I do at the weekends & love, the trouble is, its only for 1.5hr/2hrs at a time and I don't have childcare on a weekday for 1 year old.

I was wondering if a childminder would take us on for 2-3 hours, once or twice a week? would I be able to pay for just those hours or do childminders work like nursery's who charge for half days?

I'm pretty clueless about paid childcare so I'm hoping someone on here might be able to answer my question.

Thanks

My childminder had loads of odds and sods hours, she doesn't seem to mind at all. She certainly doesn't charge for unoccupied time.

Every CM is self employed so they set their own rules. There is no harm in asking any local ones if they will do this, some will some won't but there is nothing wrong in asking.

oh thats good to hear - thanks for the quick replies. I was expecting to be told they only take full days.

Any idea how I go abut finding local childminders? I'm based in Leicestershire?

Look on your local councils website. Or Ofsted.

Thanks Chubfuddler x

It's very possible yes :)

If you contact the Family Information Service they will have a list of registered childminders.

Why not?? which area?

Thanks Bertiebotts!

Italiana - I thought perhaps a childminder wouldn't want to waste a slot for a one year old for only a few hours as I know they can only have so many children of each age. I'm in Loughborough btw

Not my area unfortunately but I don't see why not...do search someone will be there for you. Good luck

A cm can only have so many children at any given time in their care, but I think they're allowed more than one 1 year old on their books so they wouldnt be wasting the slot. They must be because my cm has several, and she's all above board, Ofsted inspected etc.

It's not wasting the slot anyway if they have another child at a different time.

My childminder's always been flexible, there was a period last year when she had an extra child and couldn't keep DS for as long on one of the days, but we worked round it and it was alright in the end.

My childminder only does 3 hour sessions, 4 days a week - and she's happy for people to take whatever they want from that.

There's a couple of local playgroups that do 9-12, 12-1 and 1-3 sessions too, that you can take any combination of.

I think the secret here is to look for the local stuff, that's designed for stay at home mothers who want a break/to socialise their kids rather than the full on working parent nurseries.

I've used a childminder on an ad hoc flexible basis for afterschool care for 2-3 hours a week. I now have a babysitter/nanny because it suits us better but I rang a load of different ones and many were not averse to the idea

Thanks for the replies everyone. I'm going to do some ringing round later to see what's available.