morning run only nanny, childcare vouchers, legalese and all that...

[majorstress]

I hate to have to think about this again, but what does anyone think are my chances of getting a live-out morning-run only nanny (non-driving)? does anyone have one with the right bits of paper to use these stupid childcare vouchers yet?

What if I hired one WITHOUT the childcare voucher quals, then found one WITH? Could I resonably sack the first one? How do I word the contract?

We hired our after-school nanny (not currently Sure-Start approved) with a clause in contract saying she'd do whatever was needed to get approved. In meantime I am storing dosh up in my busybees account, as it can be used any time before kids get to 16. You could do that, then one bit of your search a bit simpler?

I'm sure you'll get some takers for your position, but I imagine your best applicants will be foreign students or similar - which will probably mean they'll need to do a basic intro course (MNT training do them) for the Sure Start process. Costs about ?£150 - does that cancel out your benefit from the vouchers?

Bink

Thanks for that, I thought I had to use the CVs before they were 8 or something!

Did you find your after-school nanny yourself? Did you have many takers? Where did you advertise, please?

It's been a total nightmare getting these CV things to work and I still have to have an argument each month with my finance department.

anybody else know about this?

We advertised (gumtree) but in the end the best candidate came from an agency (KiwiOz, on jura's recommendation, and I still owe her a drink especially as it looks like nanny wants to stay on another year).

But I think for what you're looking for gumtree really is the best bet - morning school-run only isn't enough for people who are job-searching through agencies, I'd think.

yeah, it is only for someone based nearby who is not needed for a school run, or who could bring another kid who is going to the same school (not likely as our school isn't really nanny territory).

bink, how did you word your contract please?

Oh my God... are you embarking on the nanny thing again? How are you these days?

Can you share someone's au pair?

Or maybe a mum at the same school who would like a bit of extra cash?

It was very simple: along the lines of "You agree to co-operate with us in doing whatever is necessary for you to become approved for the Government's Childcare Vouchers scheme." I also said that we would reimburse costs re any courses required, up to maximum of x (I'd researched how much the courses were so put in the cost of the most sensible looking one as the maximum).

We didn't put in anything about a timescale as we're dependent on the approval system there! It was the willingness I wanted to make express, and we'd discussed with her what getting approved could involve. If the willingness is doubtful, you could add something to the disciplinary bit (where you list matters which both sides agree are summary dismissal things) saying refusal to co-operate, or unreasonable delay in doing something that's within her own power to do (like eg attending the Sure Start interview), could be grounds for dismissal.

hi uwila-I'm quite happy now, in myself. Nothing like therapy to get over nasty au pair spell/loss of interesting parts of job. But I still have part of a job, and no live-in AP, so that is a big plus-counting my blessings.

One problem with another mummy is I can't use my childcare vouchers. They are worth a lot, were an ENORMOUS hassle to set up, and I would like to keep using them. If I can get off early to work, I can come home early too. I have a mummy this year taking dd1 2 d a week, but not next year with dd2 starting, she won't take any money but anyway won't take as early as I'd like (7:30), she feeds her kids junk food which I'd rather mine didn't have, and her kids are often sick (there's a surprise), so I have to keep taking days off all the time as it is. I think paying someone to come to my house suits me better, another AP or nanny share would be good.

jura-that's great to know someone is actually benefitting from these things and using them for an actual nanny. I would happily pay the fee if I thought the person would stay but for part time work they probably will only hang around until they find another job. And I can't go back full time at the moment, work won't have me.

I've also asked the after school club to set up a breakfast club, they kindly took over the failing afterschool club I use a couple of months ago to my delight, and the CVs work for that too.

Do you think writing to the head would help?

It's just impossible to cope with school hours, and work. Who wants to do silly hours at the start and end of a school day?

uwila on another thread you mentioned about private schools generally having wrap-around care, is that really true?

majorstress: Where are you if you don't mind me asking?
xx