What am I looking for?

[christmaspuddinggin]

DD will start a school pre-school in September when she's just turned 3 (summer baby). Ideally I'd like to find someone who can pick her up at three and then look after her until around 6. Potentially starting earlier to get a bit of housework done, and doing some if DD is entertaining herself.

I don't live in a big city, so options are limited - no agencies cover this area, and we don't have the space for an au pair. Back in the 80s my mum needed similar but just advertised in the local paper and found a really lovely widow who wanted to top up her pension - I suspect that's not the best way these days!

Anyone have any ideas about what I'm looking for and where I could find them?

If you want them every day then I think it's a nanny to be honest, especially with quite a young child. Or have you thought about using a nursery\pre school with longer hours (ours opens 7 til 7) and having a cleaner

You are looking for a nanny if you want collection and taken back to yours and housework etc to be done. A childminder would collect and take back to there house.

Yes, you want an after-school nanny. They can be difficult to find, but I’d do why your mum did - advertise in the newsagent/local notice board/local Facebook page. You can also look on childcare.co.uk. You can offer extra hours for housekeeping too. You would be their employer.

I’d also ask the pre-school which childminders pick up from them as a back up.

Thanks all - I was under the impression that nannies are strictly childcare only, no housework, but it seems I was wrong!

I've had a look on childcare.co.uk and it seems that nannies in my area are around £10ph, which seems cheap. Would having a higher rate make it more likely to find an after school one?

To the PP who mentioned a nursery pre-school with longer hours, it would be easier but there's only one available and we really didn't like it, so complicated arrangements it is (also no childminders who have any space - the joys of small town living).