Bridging childcare

[trrk]

I’m a FTM and not very familiar with childcare options. At the moment I have a nursery place at my preferred nursery for my DD starting Sept 2023 but I’m meant to go back to work July 2023. All the other nurseries I’ve tried are also over subscribed and have waiting lists. What do I do for those 2 months? Try to cover it mostly with annual leave? Look for a temporary childcare solution like a childminder but surely that will be too disruptive for my DD and hard to find? I also thought about looking for a childminder instead of nursery but don’t know how to find a reliable one and wonder if nursery will be better for social development?

How old is your daughter? Could you take a month unpaid leave? How many days would you need cover for? Do you have a partner? If it just a month? Maybe 20 weekdays it may be doable to juggle between you?

We had this issue. My DH extended his shared parental leave with unpaid leave for an extra couple of months

But temporary nanny might also work

She will be 1 yr old at the end of my maternity leave. It’s 2 months we would need to cover but I do have quite generous annual leave. My DH and I could potentially cover it between us although my boss will be pissed off as he is already annoyed that I am taking 12 months maternity leave. I am also considering going back to work earlier part time from 9 months but don’t know how i’d sort childcare in that case. I’m not sure about unpaid leave as it’s a condition for my maternity leave to go back afterwards.

You would usually accrue 2 months annual leave during your maternity leave, so you could tack that on the end?

If that's when your maternity leave finishes, you will have accrued annual leave while on maternity. Your partner/ the babies dad can also take annual leave, which might be a nice bonding experience for them anyway.

I personally wouldn't change setting after 2 months, if you find a child minder that can take them sooner, then I think I would keep them there. The will still be other kids for them to socialise with, and you can always move them to a nursery for the last year before school. Your council might have a list of offsted registered childminders, which is a good place to start, then just ring round and arrange to visit any that have openings at the right time.

Thanks for the responses! Annual leave is definitely an option but my boss will not be pleased. With childminders are they generally good or is it hit and miss? Nervous about making the right choice for my DD.

Can your DH take the whole lot as unpaid leave?

We did shared parental leave and it was so great all round for him to have the opportunity to be in sole charge

Annual leave

Parental leave (unpaid) - you are entitled to have up to 4 weeks per yr per child up to a maximum of 18 weeks per child before they turn 18. Your employer cannot refuse your parental leave but they can postpone it to another time if it would cause disruption to the business by you taking it on the dates you originally planned.

Have you contacted the nursery and checked that they definitely can't offer any days for the July?
They're usually quieter in July and August because of holidays and parents taking September school starters out early to save money.
If they could even offer you 2-3 days a week this would offer some flexibility with work.

Following - I have childcare from September but should be going back in March and I’m panicking! I’m a teacher so annual leave isn’t an option either.

You will have to take your accrued annual leave at some point - it is likely to be less disruptive to your employer for you to take it before you come back, than to come back and then barely be in because you have so much leave to take.

Not that the opinion of your boss should matter because it is your right to have the annual leave- but just a perspective that they may also prefer you take it in one block.

Use a childminder - especially for that age. Babies benefit so much from spending time with children of all ages and what they really need at that age is one familiar consistent adult caregiver, fresh air and kindness, all of which they'd get from a good Childminder. But this is only an option if you have a good support network - childminders get sick, take holidays etc where as nurseries rarely close.

Childminders socialise children its part of the Eyfs requirement in fact they are regulated by the same Ofsted Inspectors to the same standards. Many have the same qualifications as nursery managers. You can meet a few read their inspection reports and references talk to existing parents and see who feels right. A good childminder can see you right through your childcare needs and support you through what life throws. It's like visiting aunty but with all the messy play and learning opportunities of nursery.

I work in HR and think your boss should keep any opinions like this to himself, as expressing them to you or acting on them in a way that puts you at a disadvantage would amount to maternity discrimination.

Use your annual leave, you are entitled to it.

If you have to be back at work then a temp nanny

Google agencies near you or if in kent I can Name some good ones

or look for a cm to always use

personslly I would prefer a cm as home from home and they go out daily and do activities like mother and toddlers, music , bounce etc

rather in same 4 walls for 10 hrs