Possible to be London au pair, in fulltime education?

[Campari]

Just a quick one - my neice is starting a fulltime course in London next week, but would like to be a nanny/au pair outside of these hours. Is this a possibility for her? She has no childcare qualifications, but has previously cared for, cooked & babysat for her bosses children while on placement abroad. She has a degree, but is concerned that her lack of formal childcare qualifications will mean she won't stand a chance in London. What do you think? Would you employ someone evenings & weekends?

She looks after my DC's wonderfully, but then they are her cousins .

Won't most employers want an au pair during the day time when she will be in lectures?

I know someone in London looking for this exact type of arrangement - it is possible provided you are flexible with what the family want, wiling to help out and stick within the package available to aupairs ie lodgings and pocket money. Its unlikely to work for parents of much younger children who will want someone who can do hours during the early part of the day.

As long as she could do a school pick up (so be available at the school gate at 3.00/3.30), she'll get a job easily.

There's lots of jobs on gumtree for afterschool nannies if she wants to live out. Alternatively she could put a profile on childcare.co.uk for live in.

The only problem is she may not know her timetable til she starts, which may be too late for some employers.

does she know her studying hours? I'm looking for an ap at the moment but would need school pick up at 330.

Thanks, I'm phoning her later for a catch-up, I'll ask if she has her timetable yet. TBH though it may not be practical, how would she have time for study? Hmm

I have currently an au pair but smb in full education would be fine for me - my DS is 12 and can come home on his own already but I wouldn't want him to stay on his own for long so au pair who can be home at around 4:30-5 would work for me.
It would also work for an au pair since he is usually busy with his homework, games etc and doesn't expect her to spend much time with him.
As I said we have a lovely au pair but surely it shows she could find smb like us.