What is the alternative?

[myheadwillexplode1]

Found out from a mutual person that my childminder is quitting. She is just keeping it quiet until it suits her money wise. Obviously this is information I cannot unhear and i can't sit back waiting for her to give notice. Places are booked months/years in advance round here and the new school year is only just beginning so I'm pretty angry.

Have contacted 10 other childminders in the area and all are full. I cannot speak to my child minder as it will get the mutual source into deep trouble. I think even if I could, I can't trust my child minder now (source is 100% trustworthy).

What are the alternatives? I can sort breakfast club but after school is an absolute problem: I have no options. No family. School don't do an after school club. Do nannies offer pick ups? I can't change my hours, DH can't either.

I feel like crying as I'm up shit creek!

Your childminder has a perfect right to quit at the time of her choosing. She has a duty to give you the appropriate period of notice, as agreed in the contract. That’s all there is to it.

If your emotions have got the better of you, that’s in some ways understandable. But your childminder is not responsible for your predicament nor your feelings.

It's a pain but at least you know in advance and have time to think about the help that you need.
You could put the DCs into breakfast club if that suits you and then look for someone to do the afternoon pick-ups. Have a look on sites like Care.com and Youpies where you can advertise your requirements and also browse the ads for people offering childcare. We had a lovely lady who picked the DCs up from school, brought them back to ours and gave them their tea. She was also able to do babysitting for us which worked well since she already knew the DCs and the house. I think people doing this sort of job tend to advertise themselves as nannies/after-school care/mother's help/babysitter.

If you've already been contacting childminders in your area, your childminder will almost certainly hear about it.

itsaboojum is right: wouldn't you also give notice at a time that suited you? You only have 2nd hand information that she's actually stopping, anyway. How do you know that your source hasn't misinterpreted what was said?

You actually need to ask your childminder!!
You're just going on hearsay! I'm sure she'd fully understand if you said you needed to know because of finding alternative childcare.

I also couldn't find a childcare place, so I have hired a housekeeper. She will watch the children for me AND clean our home, change beds etc.

I am delighted!

Look at a housekeeper, for 2+ children the cost may not be much more. The bonus is they will do housework and possibly cook depending on what you agree. Around here the going rate is £10-12 per hour, you do need to register for tax & ni but they won't make the pension threshold unless you book them for additional hours through the holidays

At those prices a housekeeper will be more expensive, and you won’t be able to cut the bill by using tax free childcare or similar.

A housekeeper is unlikely to have paediatric first aid training or the appropriate assurance, let alone the training to support learning and development. So unless you really want a cleaning service, you’ll just be paying a lot more for a childcare service that isn’t a childcare service.