Awkward hours, child with SEN - am I likely to find anyone?

[lirael]

I am looking for before and after school care for my son, who is 11 and has autism. Hours are 7.30-9am and 3-5 either 4 or 5 days a week, term time only. We can offer additional housekeeping hours for 3 hours a week (all year round) and some eves/weekend/school holiday hours (up to 24 a month).

Are there nannies/carers on here who would accept those kinds of hours? We are paying £12ph, partly because of the awkwardness and partly because of my son's complex needs, but I still don't know if I'll find anyone. I have registered with childcare.co.uk, ukcare.com, nannyjob.co.uk and put an ad on gumtree. I've tried ringing our local branch of Tinies but thy haven't replied (bad sign methinks!).

Any thoughts or ideas welcome. I need someone by last week in August - aaargh! (Had childcare all sorted but fell apart at end of July).

Try SNAP agency, they specialise in special needs nannies.

Spoke to them and they said it's not enough hours :(

Have you tried gumtree for you area, we are offering a similar set of hours and have had a few candidates. Not yet appointed but had a few people, mainly mature students who are interested. We are a university city though which may help.

Oh and we are same boat, childcare sorted but fell apart. We have some flexibility on hours, and a physically disabled child. We also have a back up plan with after school clubs and extended family.

Ah, what about contacting a college that does childcare/health and social care courses? Maybe a student would be good?

Yes have put ad in Bristol/Bath Gumtree - have had some brilliant respite workers from there before - all students. But just looked at ad and it's only had 10 views since yesterday. We are a long way from both cities, which doesn't help. Did you upgrade your ad?

Problem with that is colleges are closed for summer and we need some one for Sept (or preferably last week of Aug so that DS2 can get used to the person). Am panicking - knew I shouldn't have gone back to work!!

Could you or your husband start later, so that you can just get childcare in the evenings?

Occasionally you cater au pairs who have special needs experience, there are a few male Spanish teachers looking for host families who have special needs experience.

Is that £12 ph net or gross? net is generous, gross is less than I pay my nanny who does full days, though I am in London.

The hours are just not enough for the average qualified nanny

Would uou consider an ap/older lady or man or nwoc

And is the £12 gross or nett. Prob gross if their only job then wouldn't be paying tax - and if so then it is low for part timE Short hours

Yes it is gross - I got the figure from the SNAP suggested salaries for people who live in the sticks! But think you're right about the hours and therefore salary being too low for your average nanny.

Karoleann - we are both teachers so have to get into school early.

Have you asks the TA at your son's school. Some maybe up for more work.

Lirael ( long time no see!)

We have had a similar issue, as it was no longer feasible or practical for me to get both dd1 and dd2 to/from school so need extra help.

We found no one at all to do the hours required, and so our only option was to go for a full time nanny - at least we have ds to keep her occupied in the middle of the day for the next couple of years! No idea what we'll do once he starts school, but got a while to figure that one out yet.

We didn't really want full time, but it was too complicated otherwise.

Is there any chance of getting 2 people - one for mornings, one for afternoons'? Might work better, as there may well be people looking for a few term time hours who could juggle one school run, but not both. We had a couple of offers for similar, but as I said it was all far too complicated for us.

£12 gross is less than I pay my nanny who does standard full days. I'd be expecting to pay a fair bit more per hour given the short hours.

Is live in an option? If so could you structure this as a job for a sensible more mature au pair or possibly for someone who studies locally? The accommodation might make it more attractive.

I also had a bit akwkard requirements and ended up hiring an aupair. He starts from September so I don't know yet how this is going to work out.