Would this work?

[lougle]

I'm thinking of retraining but would need childcare. I'd get childcare support but only up to £300 per week. I have three girls (8, 7, 5). The eldest has SN.

Ideally what I'd need is a nanny who could arrive at 6.30 am, get the children dressed/breakfast. Then get DD1 onto her SN bus (it comes to our door), take DD3 to school 1.5 miles away (in car due to timings) and bring DD2 back to the house, looking after her until 9.45-10.00 when DH gets home.

Then, I'd need him/her to arrive at 2.30 PM, take DD2 to collect DD3 from school, come back home and take DD1 off her SN bus. Then look after all 3 girls until 6.15-6.30.

I make that 7.5 hours per day, 5 days per week. So 37.5 hours per week. It would only work out at £8 per hour gross. Is that far too low?

Lougle, I have just been through exactly the same issues.

I needed someone to help out mornings and afternoons as the school runs were getting untenable, bit not so much during the middle of the day.

I have ended up with a full time (7.45am-6pm) nanny, 5 days a week. Currently we share the school runs, as obvs dd1 and dd2 are at different schools, and she looks after ds in the middle of the day while I get some work done (OU). I really really want to retrain as a SALT, but I can't make the hours work without sending dd1 on transport, which is not right for her (yet).

I agree there is more chance of you finding two different people for the job, as I can't see any nanny wanting a split shift. You are right, plenty of people do similar jobs (I used to myself) but I can't see you getting many takers.

Have you tried advertising on childcare.co.uk?

Also, have you looked at the average wage nannies ask for for your area? £8gross is on the low side, which will also impact on your chances of finding someone.

You're all right. I'm sorry if I sound snippy. I can't pay more. DH is a caretaker and he only earns £200 per week himself. As it is, we'd have to pay £45 of the £300 ourselves (which is very generous of the govt., don't get me wrong) so to pay for a full day would mean that we'd have to top up the funding by £225 which is more than all of DH's wage.

Becoming Ofsted registered is quite easy and you don't actually have to be a nanny iyswim, so you could recruit a mother's help/au pair/local mum/granny and help them to become Ofsted registered. It would probably cost you about £250 in initial costs. If your DH can get childcare vouchers from work, you would be able to use those to pay some of your £45 of the fees.

The other alternative would be going for someone live-in, either an au pair plus or a newly qualified nanny, again you'd probably need to help them become Ofsted registered.

Could you get more help if DH became a sahp?

I'm not sure what the situation would be if DH stopped working. I think that as DD1 has SN and gets DLA, he could stop working to become her carer and could take on the carers allowance that I currently get (but would stop being entitled to once a full time student) and get income support. It's very hard to get clear information on the Internet about it.

It wouldn't be our preferred route; we'd prefer DH to keep working, but it might be the only feasible route.

So you need to leave about 7 and wouldn't be back till past 6 - is the course fulltime or can it have any flexibility? is there one nearer, to cut down on commute time? No willing neighbours who'd help with the early school run?

Can the school bus for your DD collect from a different place (childminder)?

Ofsted registration for an au pair or mothers help sounds like best option if you can't have any flexibility in the mornings.

Can your DH look for a daytime job?

Yes, I would need to be able to leave at 7 and probably not back until 6 -some days might be earlier, but I couldn't guarantee which so I'd need cover for all 5 days if necessary.

DH could look for a day time job. He loves being a caretaker which is often split shift, but he would do something else if he had to.

What a very tricky situation for you all :(

unfortunately the others are right, and I think even if you did find someone- unless by some chance it works perfectly for them they may leave you in the lurch so to speak, when they secure a FT position, or even part time but full days. I think the additional stress would worry you, and since you can't offer a premium wage to appeal, I'm not sure how successful your search would be.

I hope you manage to figure something out do that you can retrain.

I'm going to go against the grain. I'm an experienced nanny (20 years- and mostly sen positions as it happens). I would consider the position as it stands so long as i was local (ish).

I need this exact same hours for childcare - sorry to say I pay my nanny to stay all day. So she has a few empty hours (she does shopping, washing etc in that time) but in order to give her a living wage we compromise as she is a fab nanny.

I am then comfortable that she can cover if ds is off sick, and during holidays.

I know that is not what you want to hear but i think you will struggle to find someone.

You could try and find a childcare student if you have a big college nearby to get them to do an early shift and another student for the late one?

Lougle how would DH feel about being a full time SAHD? It seems mad to pay someone else as much as he earns (or more) unless he really wants to work and if he does, I would suggest him finding a different part time job - longer full days, that would be more easily covered by a nanny.

Good luck

drink your milk, that's hopeful for the OP sure, but I think if you truly have 20 years experience and you are willing to take 8 gross you are underselling yourself.

I took that in my first job 8 years ago, I certainly wouldn't now.

I think your dh being a sahd might be the best idea for now x

I'm known irl to some of the other nannies on this board.
Sometimes it's about finding a job you enjoy. I'm not looking atm, so it's irrelevant. It is worth noting though that not all nannies would run from this job.

Thanks drinkyourmilk ?

Lots of food for thought. I'm a year or two way from needing it, so well see what happens.

Nanny with own child may work...if their child is an early bird or they are very local or could leave their bubba with dad while doing the earliest part of the job? are you sure an au pair or mothers help cannot become Ofsted registered? Some au pairs are quite qualified (with European qualifications)? Not sure how quickly or easily one can complete the nanny qualification required by Ofsted but I don't think it's rocket science?