advice please: would any nanny want this job?

[pearlsthatwere]

I have one DD, who will be 1 next month. Currently she goes to a childminder's for part of the week, but for various logistical reasons I need to find an alternative from September. My preferred option is a nanny, but I can't afford to have someone full time, and so far I've not been able to find a family nearby who'd want to share.

My work is relatively flexible, and it suddenly struck me that I might be able to offer hours that are the inverse of someone with school-age children: so 9.30 to 3 each day (27.5 hrs/week), and I'd look after DD myself in the school holidays.

I'd envisage paying a gross salary of around £300 a week for 43 weeks a year - i.e. 39 weeks working for me plus 4 weeks paid holiday, with the other 9 weeks covered by the other family. This is c. £11 an hour gross; evened up over the year, £250 a week. (I know NI etc. is extra.)

My questions are: would this sound like an attractive option for a good nanny? Is there any obvious pitfall I haven't thought of? Would I be offering too little money (I'm in Cambridge)? I certainly don't want to be mean or pay under the going rate, but this is pretty much my limit - it may be of course that I just can't afford it, and it has to be nursery. This is DH's view!

Hope this makes sense, and thanks for reading. I'd be so grateful for advice.

This would have been absolutely ideal for me as I have school age children. I am qualified and experienced. Shame you're not local. I'm sure you'll have some good candidates.

If you could amend that to 2:30 instead of 3 (some schools finish at 3), then I think you would fill this v quickly!

The only thing to consider is what you will do inset days and days the nanny needs to care for ill school age charges.

I don't think you need to necessarily offer a nanny share. just a role of within school hours, term time only.

would attract either a nanny share or part time nanny who has school age children.

They would be very attractive hours bet a family with older children who want a share to cover school hours.

Also great for people with school age children, although I think the majority of candidates will be mums looking for work, rather than experienced nannies iyswim. Although obviously some nannies are mums too .

You don't need to employ a nanny full-time though. Lots of nannies work 1/2/3/4 days a week. If you prefer 2 full days or something like that, you shouldn't find that a problem.

I think nannies and mums will bite your hand off lol

Obv for some nannies it won't be enough hours etc

But I think you will get lots of interest

If you have a nwoc may reduce salary more - not sure what it is in that area

You could dovetail rather neatly with me, for example, as a nanny share - I'm a teacher who employs a pt nanny after school.

She's looking for additional 'school hours' work now her own dc (who are at school with mine) are older.

Also, she's v happy not to work in the school hols as it suits her to spend them with her own dc.

Unfortunately, we're in Yorkshire, or the three of us could be the perfect match!

I think it could be a very attractive proposition for someone, though - possibly with their own pre-school dc, if that would be something you'd consider?

9:30-2:30 will be very attractive to nannies who have their own school aged child at a local school.

Holiday pay is not as simple as 4 weeks, minimum is 5.6 weeks/12.07% of working time. There has been discussion in the past about holiday for term time workers, so have a search on here for how to calculate holiday.

Thanks so much for theses responses everyone - this is really helpful & encouraging. Cindy, thanks for the heads-up about holiday; I'll certainly look into it. On balance, I'm slightly more worried about money than time - I seem to be saying this, or the opposite, quite a lot these days...

But anyway, you've reassured me that this wouldn't be a bad job for the right person, which is what I'd feared. Thanks again!

Hrs sound v attractive don't offer the max u can afford as u have no movement for future pay rise Cambridge rates seem to be £8-10 gross an hr dependant on experience- also if you consider nanny with own child for example they may have a baby/toddler(and possibly a school aged one) you could look at £7-9 gross an hr.

Why not pop an advert on gumtree and see what response you get

I'd do it if we were closer!

I'm a Cambridge nanny and actually know of 2 nannies who would be probably interested in this!

I think you'd get lots of interest and it sounds attractive enough to me...but how is it different to paying a childminder or is it that you want more one-on-one attention? I imagine there would be a fair few students, as well as mums who don't otherwise want to do childminding for more than one, that might be interested in your offer.

Another one wishing I lived nearer to you. It would be perfect for me, I was a nanny pre children, now a cm, but wanting to move back to nannying soon. Sounds like a perfect job.

Pearlsthatwere, are you still thinking about this? I am desparate to find a nanny who can cover the complement to your hours and I live in central Cambridge so logistically could be a good nanny share partner?

Would you be interested? Could we talk? I've run nanny shares before and still good friends with the family in question so I promise I'm a reasonable person!