How to pay after-school nanny who won't always be needed?

[Fatbritishblue]

DS1 starts school this September and we're going to need an after-school nanny to walk him home (5 mins), cook him something to eat and hang out with him until I get home from work at 5.45 (having collected DS2 from nursery en route).

The problem is, not only is this an attractively (to an employee) short shift, but it might only be Mon-Thurs at the most (I might be able to work a day from home, which would reduce it to Mon-Weds) and, what's more, my husband is freelance so is sometimes home for weeks at a time before another job comes up, which means he can do this pick-up himself. He'd also rather avoid the awkwardness of having to skulk around upstairs while the nanny does her job downstairs.

So, how does anyone suggest I cope with this irregular nanny requirement when it comes to payment, not to mention finding someone who'd be up for such a role? One idea (not mine) was to pay a nanny more than the going rate on the basis that they might be laid off (without payment) for a period until we needed them again; in other words, the higher fee would be like a sort of retainer in advance.

In any case, how does anyone cope with after-school nannies when not needed in the holidays? What happens to the nanny then?

I just can't get my head round any of it, so any help much appreciated.

Incidentally, have so far posted an ad on Gumtree with no satisfactory results. I'm wondering if the hours are just too annoying for anyone to be interested, but still can't work out what the solution might be ?

How about a teenager? I was a mothers helper when I was about 16, i used to go over to their house for about an hour or 2 at bath time to be an extra pair of hands.

Can't you just use after school childcare as and when you need it? Does DS 2's nursery provide this?

Or a childminder who has ad hoc spaces?

I was a nanny that did exactly what you are needing apart from I worked even more hours during half terms. To balance out the pay, I was paid the same amount each week no matter how many hours I worked. We kept a record of what i worked so if I was suddenly ahead of payments, my boss would stop paying until my hours caught up or if I had worked loads more hours (during half terms) then she would work out how much she owed me and pay me a one off sum then start the normal weekly payments again IYSWIM (complicated to explain in writing sorry).

What about a student doing a masters degree? as they would be free to do their work/studying through the day and then can go and do whatever when they are not needed in the holidays. Or find a local Nanny share? Or someone that already has a morning/part time job

Feel free to pm me if you have anymore questions :)

I don't think you will get any takers for a job where the employee could potentially be without income for weeks on end, unless the person taking it is not in it for the money! It may seem like an 'attractively short shift' to you, but it is 2 hours in the day that they cannot be working elsewhere and furthermore there is the good probability that they will not even be paid for 4 days a week on a regular basis!

Things to think about though: If your husband is doing the pickup and is working from home, who will be feeding/entertaining/checking they do their homework with you child? A nanny would do all this while your husband was able to get on and work. Your husband would not have to 'skulk' upstairs while the nanny got on and did their job. Nannies are perfectly capable of getting on with their job with other adults around. Do you need the nanny to be available to you whenever you want them? What would you do if they hadn't heard from them in a while because you didn't need them, and then you suddenly needed them for 4 days one week only to find out they had committed themselves to something else for one evening? Are you effectively wanting them to make themselves available for your convenience with no pay until you use them?

I would count on paying the going rate and for the number of days a week you need them for and then using them, whether you need them or not, if you want anyone to reply to your ad. Or look at alternatives that are not a nanny. A mother's help could come in every day and pick your kids up if you need it or do a bit of light housework, like the ironing, vacuuming, or unpacking and putting away an internet supermarket shop if you are looking after the kids. They have a regular income, you have an employee who will be their when you need them.

Where on earth do you get the idea that this is an 'attractive' position for an employee IMO it is shit !
You want some one to be available as and when it suits you with no regular days and maybe weeks without work.
You should be looking to offer the hours Monday to Thursday on a regular basis. If they do not collect the children surely they can be doing some other child related task.

i can't see you getting anyone to do this - it's hardly an atttactive position. such a short shift is not good, there's no income to be made - and your husband 'skulking' around upstairs is a bit off putting!!

Can't you just put your ds in after school club as and when you need it?

Nannies need to know they have a regular income, not that they could go weeks on end without money coming in because you don't need them!

You have to pay for Mon-Fri, Mon-Thurs or whatever it is you may or may not need, every week, otherwise where does the nanny stand?

i am about to give notice to a longstanding mindee for a similar issue. People need to know where they are, what hours they are working and how much money they are going to make on a weekly basis!

Woops - that was an unfortunate and unhelpful typo on my part: I meant to say that I realise this job is UNattractive! School clubs might be a possibility but as DS1's school only opens for the first time in Sept (it is still being built) they can't say until term is about to start what/when/how many those clubs will be so I can't count on them. In the meantime I can see the solution is likely to be a fixed-rate nanny job, and whether my OH is around or not is neither here nor there. Thanks for your suggestion, though, BabyStone - makes me feel that nothing is impossible if you keep an open mind...

I don't think a nanny who relies on their job for income is going to want this job tbh, but you have lots of other options.

I think you need someone who only needs a bit of extra pocket money. A teenager/student, an elderly person or a mum who could bring her own kids are all possibilities. You need to advertise the job to people who might want it, an ad on the nanny section of Gumtree is unlikely to target these people. Maybe enquire at the local college if they do a childcare course or put an ad in the local shop window. Also, put the word out that you're looking, there is almost always someone who knows someone who is looking for this sort of work.

Even with these sort of people though you need to have a bit of flexibility, you can't expect anyone to never make any plans just in case you might need them.

One of my colleagues at work has this arrangement with a local mum who they found through asking around the village. The mum has a young child of her own. She goes to the house at about 3.30pm to be there when the (secondary school aged) DDs come home. She cooks them supper and helps with homework if needed and is generally just 'there' till mum gets home about 6.30pm. In holidays she isn't needed as mum is a teacher, though she will do longer days if needed. My colleague pays her £600 a month for this. Suits her as she doesn't want a FT job and this way gets to be with her DS too. I assume she probably gets some benefits as well to makeup her monthly income to a level where she can pay rent and bills, so it's a part time job really.

I would stick a sign in your local shop, maybe advertise it on Mumsnet Local etc.

Thanks for all your comments and suggestions, everyone. I realise I can't have my cake and eat it, so will be prepared to face the music and arrange a regular role for someone, regardless of what OH is up to.

We have this kind of ad hoc role with a nursery nurse. She brings DS home to our house and looks after him til we get home. It's usually once or twice a week sometimes before nursery too. The way it works is that we give 2 days notice if we need her, pay over the going rate (7 50 an hour), give extra evening babysitting at the same rate, always pay at least an hour, even if we don't need her and generally make her welcome (access to food and drink and tv). We found a few people willing to take the job.