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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

How would you cover a week or two's emergency care needed in the summer?

4 replies

Thurlow · 08/05/2014 11:50

Just after a few ideas. Our CM's annual holiday is falling at a very awkward time for us, and I'm not entirely sure we can juggle it between holidays and grandparents. It would be much easier to have some childcare in place for at least a week, if possible.

Most of our local friends have young babies so I'm loathe to ask them for this big a favour. I'm not sure if nurseries will take toddlers for just a week or so? We could try and find another CM (I can ask our CM for recommendations but she is quite new and I'm not sure she has many contacts) for the week. I also had an idea about finding a local childcare student who would come to our house and essentially be a temporary nanny, but again I don't really know the ins and outs of whether that is safe or sensible. We can afford to pay for childcare as we won't be paying our CM that fortnight, but probably not enough to cover an actual emergency nanny.

Has anyone else had to cover something like this? Can I ask what you did, or what you would do?

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AMI88 · 08/05/2014 12:33

I'm a CM and I provide emergency cover. If you approach your local FIS they will have a list, maybe online, of CM. You could also try gumtree, childcare.co.uk or babysitters.co.uk
Or even on here! If you go to mumsnet local there may be someone on there available. I'm in NE London

busyDays · 08/05/2014 13:17

Lots of childminders will take on ad hoc children for short term care so definitely call around. The only thing to bear in mind is that many will not know this early on if they will have the space available or not. So if you can't find anybody now it is worth asking again much closer to the time. Also, lots of stay at home mums with small children would be happy to have a bit of extra income, so you may find that some of your friends would be quite keen if you offered to pay them. Technically this is not really allowed but as it is only for two weeks and between friends you would be so unlikely to ever get caught out. It is what I have done before. Personally I would trust a friend with their own child much more than a student with no experience.

Thurlow · 09/05/2014 15:40

Thank you. I was thinking about that re the student - it might be great, but it also might not be. It would be so nice to get this sorted sooner rather than later but I guess some CM's won't know yet!

I would prefer a friend really but I can't think of any. I might ask around for a friend of a friend...

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GotMyGoat · 09/05/2014 15:45

There's an emergency childcare website where you can book children in for a day/week if they have space. We had to do this last summer - it was ok, DD was pretty upset by it though as it's a bit traumatic to suddenly be dumped in a big room full of children and adults you don't know so I think childminders or nanny would be much better,

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