Childcare covering shift work

[MrsHBaby3]

Just wondering your thoughts please ladies..
Im due to start new job in Sep with shifts (7.15-3.15 + 12.15-8.15) and hubby works away termtime.

1. Au pair for mornings and evenings, childminder for afternoons 12-5? So au pair only working 5/6hours a day and kids have routine with childminder despite my shift
2. Nanny to cover shifts (approx 1hr eitherside of my work time) termtime only

Due to tax credits not recognising an au pair, financially theres little difference in either option.. So ladies what are the pros and cons, any obvious flaws in my ideas? Think I could even get someone?

Do nanny's work term time only? I wouldn't have done it as a nanny but as a childminder I would

How old are the children?
If they're older and can stand a later bedtime and you can find a childminder to work until that time, I'd try to organise a childminder. One starting that early would be fine, it's the lateness that might be a problem.

I think you have 3 children, one of which is a baby currently around 3 months old. Is that right? How old are your children?

An au-pair to care for a young baby may not work well, it will depend on the experience they have.

7:15 is that the time you leave home, or would you need to leave an hour before? Would you get a nanny or au-pair prepared to start work at 6:15am?

i am a childminder and i could do these hours. this is because i dont want to be fully booked so i have the spare capacity to have people coming and going.

My DH used to work shifts and finding cover was a nightmare, so when i became a cm i decided i would look after people in my previous situation.

Tomorrowisanotherday, thats really good of you. My cm used to do shifts too so she would do early and late drop off. What part of the country are you in?

I'm a childminder too and also offer those hours, I have a few shift workers and try to be flexible for them as I know how hard it is.

I'm on the Isle of Wight, there are lots of shift workers here, with the prisons and the hospital and GKN to name but a few

How old are your children? For childcare advice a good idea of number and ages is needed.

If care is only needed term time, then I think a term time nanny may be your option.

The issues I see are:
The early start time, if you need to leave home 6:15am
The late finish time I do not feel is such an issue as personally I do not mind working lunch till late, though for some nannies they may not want to work that late.
You need care for all your children, who vary in age (I presume) and may therefore need taking to / collecting from school, taking/collecting from after school activities such as sport related or youth group.

Some of your children may feel they are too old to be with a childminder.

Positives of a nanny:
Care at your home, so no need for the children to leave home early morning, or come home in the dark in winter.
Not just childcare, nannies will often do additional tasks such as childrens laundry, food prep, helping older children with homework.
If a child is mildly ill, they can stay at home (may need to be transported to other childrens activities).
More focused around the needs of your family, so if one of your children needs to go to afterschool swimming lessons, its not a big problem.

Negative of a nanny:
Cost, are you sure it is similar to other childcare options you are considering?

One provider, if theys are sick, no one to cover.
Time keeping - you need someone very good at being on time if they live-out, especially to be at work by 6:15am.

Au-pair and childminder combo may work but it depends on the ages of your children? If all school aged it may work but if one or more are a lot younger, then it may not work so well.

I have a new baby and 2 preteens (NannyNick you're right they do feel too old for a childminder but I'd still want someone on hand)
I would need to leave about 6.45 so would welcome an extra pair of hands half an hour earlier to make sure I leave on time

If you have space for an au pair then is suggest a live in nanny. September is a good start date and done will do term time only jobs if you pay the extra 4ish weeks of holiday as outside term-time and will then take temp work in the holidays. It may suit the right person...