Nursery, nanny or childminder

[hayesgirl]

I am expecting twins in May and already have a DS who will be 3 in August.

My husband is a fireman so works shifts - these shifts are on an 8 day rota so he doesnt work the same days each week. I am a full time solicitor.

Currently my FIL and MIL look after my DS who also goes to nursery 2 mornings a week. In August he will get the free 16hours nursery so will probably put him in each morning.

I am trying to weigh up whether I will need to go back to work part time next year or whether it would be financially viable for me to go back full time and pay for childcare. My MIL is already making comments about her hoping that we are not going to expect my MIL and FIL to look after all 3 so I think that maybe taking them out of the picture altogether is the option which will make all our lives easier!

I dont think that nursery is an option because 1) I think it will be too expensive and 2) it is not flexible enough. There seems little point paying for childcare on days when my husband is not working.

Therefore looking at Childminders and nannies. Just wondered what peoples experiences of these are, average costs, practicalities etc.

if you can afford it, nanny. The added benefits of having laundry etc done and greater control over what they eat, plus cover if they're sick make it worthwhile. it's likely to still be cheaper than 3 childminder places isn't it?

whichever kind you go for, you will however end up paying on days that your husband isn't working.

Will your husband cope with all 3? Some men are very hands on and do great, others find it tricky, especially babies.

Would a childminder or nanny really be flexible enough to fit with DH's shift pattern? You may find both forms of childcare want fairly fixed working hours and days. Some may well be flexible but you are wanting 3 under 5s places, so that is usually all the childminders under 5s places - could be hard to find, especially if wanting changing days.

Costs vary but I would say that for 3 children a nanny is probably going to be a bit lower than a childminder, due to it being a per family salary rather than a per child fee. You dictate the salary of the nanny, you have more control.

Contact local childminders, look at nanny job listings, see if you can establish local typical costs. Also see if any childminders have space for 3 under 5s, it may rule out the option if no local childminder has space.

A nanny will be probably be cheapest and the 'best' form of childcare (for all the reasons Easter mentions).

I think you will still end up paying for some times when your DH is not working though, depending on how variable his shifts are and how much notice you get.

There was a mum in my area recently looking for a childminder for a 3 year old and twin babies. She looked around for absolutely ages but couldn't find a single childminder with 3 full time spaces available. In the end she had no choice but to go with a nanny and it actually worked out cheaper for her anyway.

I think a nanny will be your best bet under the circumstances. A friend of mine went back to work after her third and found a nanny to be the cheapest option.They are often more flexible on times too. However, you will be entering into the realms of being an employer, having to pay NI, etc. I don't really know how that works.

In terms of a childminder, you may find one who would offer you a slight reduction for so much business. Also, ofsted have slightly relaxed their rules on numbers and I think it is easier to get an exception for more than 3 under fives. This may be in your favour.

I guess it also depends on where you are and whether or not there is a shortage of childcare in the area.

The rules are very tight for going over 3 under 5's and new business is not allowed so it will not help the op. A childminder can go over 3 under 5's only for a new sibling of an existing child or for an existing child changing hours - even that is a grey area. You might find a brand new childminder who has spaces but I wouldn't expect a discount as for a childminder it is quite risky to have all of your income coming from one family. If you leave, she has no income all in one go.

I would suggest a nanny would be your best bet. You may be able to find someone willing to work flexible hours as long as she always gets a minimum of say 35 hours a week - or work it out monthly with a fixed minimum hours and overtime for any extras worked?