Best time of year to hire new nanny?

[eleusis]

I think I know the answer to this, but thought I'd take a poll anyway just to confirm.

Current nanny is here basically on a gap year year from Uni. So she was never going to stay longer than through next summer. She has talked about leaving in July so she can do a bit of travelling before she returns home. I'm considering bumping her departure up to June (and she is fine with this as I have mentioned it already as something I might prefer to do) just because I think June is an better time to look for a new nanny.

Our next nanny will probably be our last. As I think when DS is 3 and goes to the nursery attached to the primary where DD goes, then we will drop down to an au pair.

So, anyway, will I have a better selection of canididate if I ask her to go in June?

I have no idea whether a month would make much difference, but there will always be more looking around that time of year anyway, because of the newly qualifieds coming out of college...

You know, we really should open up that agency ourselves....I'm on the hunt again myself as of this morning.. it never stops, does it?

What? Good grief, what has happened?

Oh nothing bad at all, just a combination of promotion and growing pile of laundry... see here

I was looking in July of this year and there were loads of fabby jobs about. So i think June or July is good as i wouldn't want to look during the summer hols.

oh god
am looking now for somone to start in January ( currently have childminder) is that bad timing for me?

I also want to avoid a july start because then she arrives not knowing anyone and the summer is so long if you don't already have a circle of friends to go hang out with.

Generally I would say that allowing 2 to 3 months prior to starting date - but of course some nannies won't already be in work and thus not needing to give notice on their existing job, and thus are available next-day.

Eleusis - I think in your case it may depend on where the nanny comes from, for example if you can fit the job start date to be shortly after colleges finish (in which ever country they live), then you could get someone fresh out of college who wants to spend time in the uk on a working holiday visa.

Think it depends on the area of the country as i was told it picks up in september and january around the midlands - so how come i am still looking for a job?