My childminder has just rung and told me they are closing for at least 2 weeks!!!!!

[flutterbee]

I have no idea what I should do.

DS goes to them Thurs and Fri all day whilst I am at college and every other week on Wednesdays so that I can have a study day. My college fund the childcare but they will cancel all financial assistance if my monthly attendance falls below 80%.

I didn't go to college last week because the childminders was closed down due to illness.

The reason it is being shut for a few weeks is again due to illness (stomach ulcer) and because they are changing to a day care centre and need a few weeks to get all the paper work sorted out.

I love love love my childminders and so does DS, they really are superb, this is not an OMG look what my childminder has done thread. I just need some ideas about what I can do for the next (minimum) 2 weeks.

Can they not give you some names of other minders who might be able to offer temporary care?

NO COLLEGE CRECHE I SUPPOSE? pls excuse caps

They have rung round the childminders they know and can't get any spaces and the college creche is full.

Are any of the others parents in a similar situation to you? Maybe you could help each other out.

Perhaps if there is another Parent in the same position as you, you could think about a temporary Nanny share?

I don't know any of the other parents at the childminders (is that weird then) so I wouldn't really be happy leaving DS with any of them.

GOD what am I going to do.

Is there no-one you could ask to help you out for a couple of days - friends, family etc?

If not then speak to your tutor about it - explain the problem and ask for their help.

Bloody children, I don't know whos idea it was to have one but they just bloody make everything so complicated

where are you?, there may be someone on here close to you?

I'm in the St Leonards/Hastings area and I don't think there is anyone around here, I wouldn't want to do that anyway.

I shall see what my Mum has to say although I doubt she will be able to help, then maybe my sis in law it's just such short notice for people.

try childcare plus(surestart)

Call KITES (Hastings) on 0845 6010777 and ask for a uptodate childminder vacancy list. With luck not everyone is full.

Also ask KITES about Children's Centres in the area - there are certainly some planned, but not sure if any are open yet. You may be able to get a temporary place at one of those, if they are open.

A web search revealed Hastings & St Leonards Registered Childminder Association - 07930 971999. Could be worth calling to see if anyone in the group has a place available.

Thank-you for all the input and ideas people. My wonderful sis in law has agreed to have ds weds,thurs and fri this week and dh is going to take thurs and fri off next week and we shall see what happens.

So so grateful that SIL has said she will have him, I was really starting to panic.