Finding a temporary nanny

[acatcalledyowler]

Our lovely nanny is pregnant and going off on maternity leave in mid August and I'm currently panicking about how to recruit her temporary cover. I found several good candidates (including our nanny) on childcare.co.uk last time but I've recently advertised and contacted a few likely candidates and response has been next to non-existent :-(.

Am I just looking too early and I should calm down and wait a month? Or is it a sign that a two day per week (Monday and Tuesday) 7am to 6pm temp nanny role based in Surrey will be a nightmare to fill? My ad mentions that I'm happy to consider a nanny with their own child which I was expecting would really help on the responses, but apparently not.

Any advice much appreciated.

Anyone??

Dont see why you are having problems getting someone. How long is the temp job for? Perhaps if for a while (like a year) nannies would be more inclined to get a permanent job. Also as a nanny, I would be much more interested if you could manage the nanny starting slighly later? I probably wouldnt apply for a job starting at 7 (unless really nearby) but have had one starting at 7:30. Still not my ideal start time (I'm so not a morning person!) but that half an hour would really make a difference to me.

I think you may be looking too early. If I was looking for a job to start in August now I would disregard any temp positions.

Mat cover as a nanny is always hard as you don't know as the temp nanny if the job is going to be perm / obv it will be temp till your nanny tells you if coming back

Agree also a temp job to start in August as a nanny looking for ideally perm work they are unlikely to want to take a temp job to start in August as its may - they may find the perfect perm job to start in July iyswim

Thank you for the thoughts and advice.

The problem with moving our start time is that it means us flexing and compromising our working hours and if we're starting down that route then I'm a bit reluctant to pay the significant premium for a nanny over a childminder. For us it's one of the main reasons for using a nanny.

I tend to agree that we're looking too early. However our fall back option is to look at using a childminder and wrap around care in school for our eldest. Both of which need to be booked now if we want a childminder for the next school year. So I guess I'm just nervous and that if we wait we then can't find a nanny because these temporary positions are just harder to fill, but that we then can't find a childminder either because their new September 2015 places are already filled. Doesn't help that it would be better financially for my husband to stop working than it would be to pay the really high rates of a very short term temporary nanny if we got stuck.

I wouldn't say I charge that much of a high rate as a temp nanny £13 gross - which is about £10net which is about average salary in my area

Plus you would have the job as a 6/9mth contract - till you know what the nanny is doing and again shouldn't pay huge agency fees

Have you discussed her return with/without baby

7-6 is slightly early but again many nanny jobs are 7-7 so don't think it's the hours that are putting someone off

It's also as only 2 days - so the temp nanny would have to try and find another job that would fit in around yours