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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

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Original poster

Jobs to fit in with school drop off and pick up?

32 replies

PumpkinSpicedTea · 10/08/2023 21:00

I work in an office job and after being let down with childcare options I am struggling. It's got me thinking of other job opportunities.

If you don't mind sharing, what sort of jobs do you do to work around school times?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Buttons0522 · 10/08/2023 21:02

Not my job but the only role I know which truly works around school hours so you’re available for drop off and pick up is lunchtime supervisor… if you can afford to work for peanuts!!!

DinnaeFashYersel · 10/08/2023 21:07

We both wfh and my kids get the bus to and from school so we work full time but get to avoid school runs.

In the past we used breakfast and after school clubs.

Ordea · 10/08/2023 21:09

The only thing that really works is WFH with max flexibility. Look for jobs like that.

Oblomov23 · 10/08/2023 21:25

Mine was easy, accounts 9-3. School Drop off from 8.40am, got to office ok by 9. Finished at 3. Easily at pick up by 3.15pm. Worked a treat for 7 years.

Oubliette0292 · 10/08/2023 21:29

can your DH/DP ask for flexible working? (In my experience men get cookies for this, whilst women get penalised).

Dinnerlady12 · 10/08/2023 21:33

I'm a dinner lady I work 4.5 hours a day. The school I'm in plus most of the other schools in the county are crying out for kitchen staff. It's rubbish and not the job I want to be doing but I'm a single parent with no help so not having to worry about childcare makes it worth it

passthesugar · 10/08/2023 21:33

My DH and I both have "office" jobs but work from home and take turns nipping out for the school run.

If we both worked in actual offices and had to factor in commuting, it would be a bloody nightmare.

WeightoftheWorld · 10/08/2023 21:38

I know a few people who mostly WFH and work around drop off and pick up a few times a week. However they are all pretty senior people (mixture of public sector and private), manage large teams etc so they can do as they please really as long as they're available for key meetings/the times they need to work f2f and get their work done. Examples: senior manager for the lottery fund, doctor working in pharma, solicitors who run their own law firm. Oh and teaching assistants too in a different vein.

Sallyh87 · 10/08/2023 21:39

I work an office job (HR Manager in Public Sector), I reduced my hours over 5 days so I start at 9.30 and leave at 3.00.

You work in an office, could you make a flexible working request?

Public sector jobs are in my experience more likely to grant flexibility, so look for something in that maybe.

Original poster

PumpkinSpicedTea · 10/08/2023 22:03

So sadly the school out of school club doesn't have spaces for all the days I need, no childminders left in the area either and the childcare company we had has stopped covering our school.

I work in a school so flexible working isn't an option. I think I'll look for other office jobs but having the holidays is definitely a bonus.

OP posts:

SkaterGrrrrl · 10/08/2023 22:20

Charity sector 👍

JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn · 10/08/2023 22:47

I work from home and do school run every day, as do plenty of other people in the team. It's totally accepted. Ask your line manager if its something they'd be happy for you to do.

supermamio · 10/08/2023 23:02

I work in a supermarket warehouse distribution centre. 9-2 x 5 days a week. Have to do my fair share of weekends but easy enough to fit that around partners shifts. Work are flexible to change rota days off if needs be for school plays etc.

Squarepegroundholee · 10/08/2023 23:04

If you have a partner to stay with them overnight , then Night shifts …. Sleep when they are at school
x

TappingTed · 10/08/2023 23:05

I worked as a one to one assistant for pupils with special needs. Pre school setting up to college. Started 9 and finished 2pm

StillWantingADog · 10/08/2023 23:09

Ordea · 10/08/2023 21:09

The only thing that really works is WFH with max flexibility. Look for jobs like that.

Yup. I’m In consultancy and my hours are nominally 9-5.30 but the truth is everyone does school runs. We wfh most of the time. And although we have to attend meetings, other than that hours are very flexible really as long as the work gets done. We work globally so sometimes evenings (when we have USA clients) and early mornings (when we have APAC clients) is preferred.

fullbloom87 · 10/08/2023 23:33

Usually the less glamorous jobs. I've done care work and cleaning. I also worked in a pub 10-3 and in the evenings 6pm-12am split shifts.
The only time my children have been in childcare was once when I got an afternoon off and I decided to nap and overslept, the next thing I knew the school was calling and said they'd put them in after school club. I was mortified 🥴

Original poster

PumpkinSpicedTea · 11/08/2023 07:52

Thanks for all your input. My husband works a rota / shifts and works weekends quite a bit is looking for something that can fit around the week. I'm going to look into evening work though.

OP posts:

WheelySquirrel · 11/08/2023 07:56

When you say you work in a school now, what role do you have? If it’s office based/admin then could you look into clerk to governors/governance manager etc (depending on your current skills) - usually a very high degree of flexibility except for the fixed meetings which are often evenings.

Badbudgeter · 11/08/2023 07:57

I’d agree it’s often less glamorous options. Hotel housekeeping 9-3, care home housekeeping 9-3 is stuff I’ve done previously.

carryonregardless15 · 11/08/2023 07:59

I can work from 7-8 and chose my hours. 7.25 hours a day. Work from home if I want. I do 7-3. Husband drops kids off and I pick them up.

carryonregardless15 · 11/08/2023 07:59

Caveat * I could do drop off too. It's a log in/log out system

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 11/08/2023 08:01

PumpkinSpicedTea · 10/08/2023 22:03

So sadly the school out of school club doesn't have spaces for all the days I need, no childminders left in the area either and the childcare company we had has stopped covering our school.

I work in a school so flexible working isn't an option. I think I'll look for other office jobs but having the holidays is definitely a bonus.

Finding a solution to pick up and drop off has surely got to be better than losing the holidays- I wouldn’t pack that job in.

LongLiveGoblingKing · 11/08/2023 08:06

I have a WFH office type role, and finish at 3 two days a week to do pickup. DH works a 7- 3 one day a week so he can do a pickup without reducing his hours. Also WFH.
Other two days are covered by grandparents.

Really fully remote working is the only way we can make it work. I've made it clear that a return to office would result in me having to resign and find another remote role, which luckily are very common in my industry (pharmatech).

cunningartificer · 11/08/2023 08:18

If you work in a school, whatever your role, staffing issues are so great that there is a real chance of you being allowed to have some flexible working. It's really worth a discussion with the head before you change role. We've accommodated this for all levels of staff, though you may find you have to go slightly part time especially if you're a teacher. If you're in admin try moving to the university sector which can be more flexible but also has breaks that match holidays for school. Don't underestimate the huge advantage working in a school gives when it comes to holidays as well... when I moved into schools I was amazed by the amount I saved in half term and holiday care!

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