Childcare for 1 hour a day? Is it possible?

[poligera]

Hi everyone! My little girl is 13 months old and we live in central Guildford.

From September I will be working at home where for one hour (16.30-17.30) LO needs someone to look after her, four days a week.

Do you think it is possible to hire someone for only 1 hour a day? Where should I start?

Some time ago I looked into babysitting companies and they all seem to accept a minimum booking of 2-2.5 hours, while also charging a "booking fee", which definitely doesn't suit me.

Maybe someone here was in a similar situation? Any advice will be appreciated! Thanks in advance!

I think you'll struggle to find someone qualified/experienced for one hour a day.

You might get a student/teenager, which will probably be sufficient as you're working from home.

I am an Ofsted Registered childminder and I have had children for one hour a day in the past because I recognise it can be difficult for parents. I would look up local childminders.

www.surreycc.gov.uk/people-and-community/family-information-service

They will send you a list of Registered childminder's near you. It may also be worth checking out your local Children's Centre they may also have a list of childminders near to you.

If could be a good opportunity for a childcare student to get some work experience if you have a suitable college nearby perhaps? It is an ideal time of day for them to get a bit of work straight from college.

You could try the Children's Centre. They used to have a creche for short term childcare like this.

If you have to take her somewhere (Childminder or creche) you might still need 2 hours a day of course, if you are working the full 60 mins but have to take and fetch... maybe more CMers would do 2 hrs a day, as its then 10 hrs a week, plus the time of day may work in your favour as possibly some mindees will be picked up at 4pm, so your DC wouldn't "block"a full day place

A few different uni students, if it fits with their in uni hours. Are you near the uni campus?

It is not going to appeal to many people but you may find one or two people who would do it. Advertise locally, see if you get any interest.

Local childminders may consider it.

Does it have to be one hour a day? Could you not perhaps vary your working hours each day to have a couple of longer days each week for example?

It is the sort of thing I did as a teenager though I would not have been able to commit to 4 days a week. I would have wanted a minimum amount of pay, not worth coming for a fiver, twenty more like. It needs to be viable for the person doing it as well as for you.

Why an hour, why at that time of day?

I don't think you'll manage to get someone reliable for just an hour.

How malleable is your DD, is there anyway you could change her routine so that she sleeps at that time? When she's a little older you can just put on the TV!

Off piste...do you have to be at home? Local gym creche?

I think you'd struggle to find somebody for an hour a day. Presumably it will be in your own home. Could you not have somebody do one hour child minding and an hour's cleaning. But it could suit a close neighbour but I think the hourly rate would have to be quite a bit higher than usual if it was only one hour.

Off piste...do you have to be at home? Local gym creche?

Off piste...do you have to be at home? Local gym creche?

It's going to be tricky even if you find a childminder who has space as it's in the middle of cooking/eating tea so may not be possible to give your little one the attention he/she needs. Best bet is to suck up the booking fee and minimum charge from an agency or put then in a nursery for an afternoon.

I did this kind of thing as a teenager for my neighbour. I looked after their five year old and one year old for an hour Tues-Fri after school/college and then for four hours on a Saturday.

I was paid £5 an hour then but that was 20 years ago more or less so you'll need to up the pay somewhat. It's really only babysitting though so I'm not sure you need a full childcare setting.

Why are people suggesting that this will be so hard? I know lots of cm who would do this. cm are ideally set up to offer odd hours and particularly at the end of the day. I have done it several times.

It seems suitable for a teenager or student. If you can find a responsible and trustworthy one - go for it.

Though I could not find an one hour childcare for my 6yo son and ended up hiring an au pair!

Thanks so much ladies! You gave me a few ideas to research. What a relief!

Ask around. You may find someone retired or early retirement (or just doesn´t work full-time or at all) who would be happy to do it. Someone may have a mum, aunt, neighbour, etc. who is perfect for the job. An older person (I´m talking like in their 50s) may also be more reliable than a student whose timetable can change at the last minute. Also the older person is perhaps more likely to have a car which can make things easier.

What about a nannyshare? You might find someone who has a nanny for their DC and would like a little contribution to the cost by sharing with your DD for an hour a day. Especially if their DC are at school for example.

Only thing is that 4.30-5.30 isn't a great time for that kind of share as it is post school. You might have more success if you can do your work during school hours? However there may be some parents happy with that timing.

Sounds more like it's a creche you need more than a nursery/childminder, either that or just a reliable babysitter.