Is there any chance of me finding temporary childcare to cover Easter (or part thereof)?

[ElenyaTuesday]

Well, that's it really!!

I usually split the holidays with family but I'm stuck over the two weeks at Easter. The children don't want to go to Barracudas or any other sort of playscheme (they have been before and weren't happy) and childminders around here are like gold dust (not that most of them seem to like temporary arrangements). I'm not sure what other kind of childcare exists!!

Any suggestions? I'm not talking about babies btw - my children are 10 and 8. All help gratefully received.

Well I'd do the April half term but not the Easter bank hols (Easter is before half term in a lot of areas this year). I'd certainly ask around the childminders in your area. Have you looked at Childcarelink?

I work as a nanny, but my employers are teachers, so I get school holidays off. Therefore people like me, may be a good soluition for you.
You can advertise for a temporary nanny yourself, via various websites including mumsnet.com, gumtree.com and nannyjob.co.uk plus locally via postcard advertising in newsagents and a classified ad in the local paper.
A temporary nanny would typically be live-out, coming to your home on a daily basis. They could do whatever activities you and your children wanted and what you can afford. For example in the past I have taken children down a coal mine, indoor rock climbing, to museums and science centres, on steam railways or just for a walk in the woods.
A temporary nanny I would expect will cost around £10 an hour, possibly more if you are London based. It is often a viable option when there are 2 or more children involved.

Thanks, looneytune - the holidays are a bit mad this year and not actually near Easter!!! Is this something childminders would usually do?

Where are you located?

Thanks, nannynick - I am in sunny Croydon.

Yes it's definitely something childminders would consider. 1) not all childminders fill all their spaces and do adhoc extra work, 2) some (like me) have Term Time only mindees which means they have spaces for Holiday only care, 3) your children are both outside of the under 8's age limit.

And also, what Nick said is an option for someone with more than 1 child.

Ah, I forgot about the under 8 thing! So there are no limits on over-8s, is that right?

I'm in Surrey... but alas Croydon is too far away from me, so I can't be of personal help to you.

If you decide that having a temporary nanny may be an option, post a message over on the NannyShare board, which doubles up as Childcare Classified - think there is a nanny looking for work at the moment, who may be in your general area - Ad-Hoc Nanny

That's right Having said that, a lot of good childminders will look at the children they have at the moment and make sure they are happy it would work, but certainly not a problem for the numbers.

Gumtree loads of teachers/TA advertising for holiday nanny jobs on there.

There are no real limits on number of over 8's that a childminder can care for. However such care must not adversely affect the care of younger children.

If your children are saying they don't want to go to a playscheme, I'm not sure that a childminder is going to be any better - as a childminder who is also caring for younger children will not be able to focus on the older children, if you see what I mean. Your children will need to fit in with what the childminder is doing.
Perhaps find out from your children what they don't like about going to a playscheme... that may result in finding that they want to do things more suited to their age, rather than things aimed at younger children and also that they would prefer it to be just them plus a carer, rather than in a group of children.

That's a pity, Nick! Really Croydon isn't that bad! I will check out the other thread, thanks.

Looneytune, quite a few of the childminders nearby seem to have a lot of little ones but there is always the possibility that people will be away on holiday or something!

Oh, x-posted Nick. It is mostly the 8-year-old who didn't like the playscheme - he prefers a bit more individual attention and because he is tiny he was grouped with children much bigger than him (although the same age, if you get my drift!).

The traffic is horrible between where I am and Croydon though!

If your children liked sports things, but not playschemes as such, could doing an intensive course at a local sports centre, or even at a school be an option?

Hmmm, Nick, ds1 hates sports unfortunately - I sound really awkward don't I?

The traffic from anywhere to Croydon is awful!!!!

I've had a look on Gumtree (thanks, 1dilemma) but I'm struggling a bit with it as there are so many adverts!

hi Either Elenya,am childminder in bromley thouth i have a place for u, i will work in two weeks at Easter as my minde is 7,5 and 9 years old boy and girl and i can work in bank holiday as well.it will cost u 4.00 pound each.

hourly!!!!

We found a student who is studying for a teaching degree on gumtree. She is great, and has looked after the children for some of the summer and Christmas hols, and we hope to employ her for easter and this summer too.

Do bear in mind that a temp nanny will still need to have their tax and NI paid (although as our 'nanny' is a student and earns so little over the year we pay the tax directly to her and only have to pay NI to the inland revenue.)

Really, Millarkie? I have no idea about any of this - is it really complicated if I'm only employing them on a temporary basis?

Nonna, whereabouts in Bromley are you? Feel free to email me at [email protected] if you don't want to say on here!

ok

very very near to the glade mall shoping center.2 min walking from bromley south train st.

We pay for a payroll service so it's not complicated for us - but we only have the payroll service because we had a full-time nanny previously..once this years subscription runs out I won't renew just to pay holiday nanny's tax. I'm sure it's not that hard to do it yourself. If you search for Nannynick on mumsnet, he has posted a lot of helpful advice on how to calculate tax/ni and register as an employer.

Will do, Millarkie. Thanks.

I do need to investigate this thoroughly because the children will be moving schools in September and will have longer holidays which family won't be able to cover. This is just a taste of things to come for me!

This may help - a previous post of mine about working out Tax/NI.

P49 - Paying Someone For The First Time
This you get as part of your New Employers Pack, but it can be handy to read now, as it works you through doing the first payroll run.
It isn't that complex, just takes a while to get your head around what it is you are doing. If you just follow it through, then all should be fine. A lot you can now do on-line, and HMRC provides an Employers CD-ROM which includes calculators to also help.
The key thing I feel with a temporary employee is that you give them a P46, and use the tax code that results from that... probably BR.

You are a star, Nick. Thanks.