Going from SAHM to part-time Nanny. Is it possible?

[HereBeHubbubs]

I'm 45 and struggling to find work since my youngest started Reception last September.

So I looked into Childminding and it sounded ideal except my landlord will not allow me to use the premises for a business.

So now I'm thinking about live-out Nannying, except I have no prior Nanny experience bar a a few weeks as a Home Help as a teenager, and of course being a lone parent since the birth of my eldest (I have two under 7).
But I have no first aid qualifications or CRB checks, etc. or recent employment for references (SAHM for 7 years).

Can anyone advise where I could start, or whether it's implausible to consider offering a position to someone as 'unqualified' as myself?
I'm also most curious to know whether a Nanny position could fit in with the hours I'll need for my own children, for example, I'd need to be able to drop and collect them from their own schools, but is there such a thing as a part-time Nanny or with hours between 9.30-3pm?? And how would that work with my own children's school holidays - would an employer be happy for their baby/child/children to be associating with mine during holidays?

I haven't made the initial step of phoning a local Nanny agency yet and enquiring as I don't want to seem green, as clearly I will need some basic courses behind me such as first aid and so on. But I'd like to hear some real life views before I do that to motivate me.

I can't believe the solution to finding work I'd actually really love doing that might fit in with my own children's needs is this potentially simple. There must be a catch?

I would have thought there are very few people who need a nanny JUST for school hours. However, I would have certainly thought there is a market for a Mothers Help type role who picks children up from school, takes them to their home (along with your own children) and cooks dinner/supervises homework. However, I am not sure it would pay very much - certainly I would expect to pay less than I would to someone who wasn't bringing their children too.

I would have thought there are people around who want a nanny but wouldn't mind the nanny's children being around holidays/after school too. The trick of course is that nannying happens in your charges house, and so your children would be guests there. So potentially tricky.

I don't know. Just a few thoughts.

I know someone who does it 2 days a week but they were a nanny before they had their own children so had prior experience of nannying. Job wise they found it hard to get something to fit school hours, so ended up doing 2 long days, having to find childcare for their own children before/after school those days.

Nanny for a teacher?

A teacher would need a nanny for longer hours though, funchum. Very few schools would be happy with a teacher only being in 9:30-3!

I am in the same situation but my son is only 15 months old so I don't have to fit around any school drop off/pick ups. I have found a few after school/ before school roles just trying to decide which one would b best for me, hours and salary wise. I think what's best for you is to find someone local so ask around at the kids school maybe speak to a few parents so you will just have there kids in one of their houses til they get home, or a bit of housekeeping during the day to make your hours up.

Where ru based?

Failing that, not sure if you have considered this but doctors/dentists surgeries are always looking for these hours for a receptionist, usually offer training, or a shop would offer these hours, most mums I know work 10-2 at a shop so they can do school drop off and collection.

Don't forget your hours have to cover the parents commute. So, assuming a 15 minute handover and 45 minute commute, if you work 9-3.30 the parent can only work 10-2.30! Very few people will be in a job that short hours.

I think as you've no nanny experience or qualifications you would struggle to get any work, especially with two children yourself

We employ local (unqualified) parents in our pre-school? The pay is not high, but the shifts would fit in with school drop off. It may be a way in to a childcare environment. We pay for our staff to do extra qualifications as well NVQ's and first aid.