I'd be grateful for any advice...

[Weegle]

Our current au pair is fab. But she leaves end of March. DS will be 22 months. He is completely attached to her and I am fully aware that he will a) be heartbroken and b) struggle to accept a new one as he already shows real signs of wariness around new people.

So my issue is: given that April is not a great time to give me choice on applicants do I:
a) try to get a new one for a year from April with the choice I can find? and face the same problem next April.
b) get a short term one from April to July and then get a new one in the summer for a year?
c) try and arrange something else for April to summer e.g. more nursery hours, and then get a new year one from summer?

I really don't know what to advertise/look for. I'm aware DS will be 2 during all this and have been warned this is a difficult age for change overs with carers - is this true? What do you think would be the best solution?

I'd be inclined to get a new one for a year from April. It shouldn't be too difficult, OK not quite as easy as summertime, but it's the next best time IMO.

Problem with getting a short term one is that the long term one from the summer might not stay, then you'd have to get yet another one.

Don't really know what to say about option c, would it mean him being in nursery full time, coz I think option a would be preferable to that.

When your current AP does leave if you have a new one lined up straight away you can always say to him that although your current AP is leaving her friend has heard all about you and she wants to come and stay with you. I found that helpful.

You might be surprised. DD was two when our nanny left. I thought she would be heartbroken. The nanny (oddly) packed up and went one day, left while I was in the shower, didn't say good-bye (but sent an e-mail later). Anyway, DD walked in her room, looked around and said "[nanny's name] gone." very matter of factly. And that was it. And I thought hmm that went well. Not exactly the trauma I expected.

At age 4, the next nanny left. This was 8 months ago and she still asks about her.

I'd say hire in April for a year. You can't really plan exact departure dates. Things come up and nannies/au pairs move on. So even if you hire for a year she might leave in December and leave you looking in the run up to Christmas (fun fun that is!). So no point setting all your sights on July just to find out your plan has gone askew because she's given notice.