Please help with this query!

[Rabbitytatttatt]

I have a nanny that looks after my three children two days a week before and after school (all day in the hols). I pay her a good rate and overtime.

She started off well but now I feel like she is doing the bare minimum that she can get away with, when I come in at night the kids are glued to the xbox and she just says they didn't want to do their homework. The kids never tidy their rooms, make their beds etc. when she is here.

Problem is that four months after starting with me she announced she was three months pregnant.

Here is the issue, I don't think she is doing a great job with the kids and if she wasn't pregnant then I could feel that I could address it with her. She is supposed to start at x time and always turns up two or three mins late which doesn't seem like a lot but I literally dash out of the car and sprint for a train.

She has now asked me twice for time off for pregnancy appointments, which legally she is allowed to have. First of all she has three other days a week that she could go for these appointments and it means I have to pay someone else to look after the children.

I don't know how to handle it for the best. I'm a single mum so its not like on the occasions when she is off I can leave work early or get a partner to look after the kids.

Where do I stand legally? I don't what to do for the best .

Pregnancy appointments you can't do anything about, so its not worth worrying about.
The other issues, you are perfectly entitled to bring up with her. I'd actually remove the XBox and hide it when she's in.
Just say you would like a chat one evening and then arrange to come home 20 minutes early.

Say that you're having to run for the train every day and she keeps being a few minutes late, she needs to get here for xxx time at the absolute latest, she only needs to leave 5 minutes earlier to get to you on time.

1. the children can not have any TV or Xbox until they have done their homework, made their beds and tidied their rooms and re-enforce it with them. If they don't do what the nanny asks they can't have tv/ xbox the next night.

Back the homework/room tidiying up with a note on the fridge the next day and address it to the children. Something along the lines of

REMEMBER
NO TV/XBOX UNTIL HOMEWORK AND ROOM TIDYING DONE

When is she due to go on maternity leave?

Re the maternity appts, I know that in my area the midwife only runs her clinic one day each week, so she may not have as much flexibility as you would like. In general terms though, I think you can raise your other concerns and reiterate your expectations; I like Karoleann's suggestions about approaching the kids' behaviour as a team. It's possible that she's struggling in the mornings due to sickness/tiredness but without talking to her, you won't know ...

Thanks will try that. Goes on maternity leave next year.

I agree with above posters. Arrange a time to speak to your nanny about the homework/ xbox/ room tidying issues you are well within your rights to do so.
With regards to pregnancy appointments apart from asking her to try and organise them out of working hours not a lot you can do.. my midwife only did clinic on one day a week, if this is the case for her there's not a lot she can do either!

If she's with you under a year, can't you still let her go ? If she's not fullfilling her duties then no reason to keep her on. Also I'd ask for confirmation letters regarding the midwife appointments.

She sounds useless. Kids may not want to do homework but they have to - she needs to grow a spine - sounds like kids don't respect her

You can help this by supporting her and taking away x box etc and back up and reinforce no tv etc till homework done and bedrooms tidied

Being late is wrong and needs to be addressed asap

Preg appointments may not be on her days off and tbh she is entitled to time off

Bad timing she was with you a month and then got preg but again that's totally legal - I'm Assuming you wont be offering her to allow the privilege of bringing bubs with her once born

If employed under one year technically her employment could be terminated BUT she is protected by discrimination laws. You have to give a reason for dismissal and be able to back that up ie performance reviews with opportunity for her to improve etc with verbal and written warnings. We had to go through this under direction from an employment law specialist so to avoid an unfair dismissal case against us. Be careful to get advice from ACAS. You also do not have to allow time off for every appt and also insist she works the rest of the day. Ideally on her days off would be great for you and her to enjoy the appts.