Au pair wanted but live in a one bedroom flat :(

[Stardough]

Hi,

so I am soon starting my nursing degree and I am a single parent to a 3yr old girl, she will soon be starting school this September. The issue I have is I am a student single parent and only living in a one bedroom council flat.
is it possible to have a au pair for literally only when I have block placement. I was thinking to convert my living room to a bedroom and give up my room for the au pair. Can this work?

You’ll likely find someone on Sitters who will do this although might just need to pay them a bit extra to do the nursery pick up.

If you can fit a mattress in the living room without it touching any walls you’re not given ‘overcrowding’ priority in my council 😡

My kids did this sort of thing when they were at uni. Put an ad in your local FB group, and you’ll get a student who will do it cash in hand. (And get references/check their social media obviously)

In my area it would be classed as a 1 bed. If it had a separate dining room as well as a living room then they would count that as a 2.

Could you advertise for a part time mothers' help? Or would something like Koru Kids be an option? - basically students who have a little training and work part time but Koru deals with all of the salary, tax and NI
https://www.korukids.co.uk/

That's bit unfair.
I was an aupair, it's not slavery. Unless the family are twats, but agencies usually quickly pull the out. Aupairing is not some desperation action. (in majority of cases)

Not sure how it works with EU aupairs now anyway, so UK based already and none will take tjis arrangement.

Can't you swap with another parent at the nursery? They pick up your daughter a few days a week and you look after her daughter a few days back (or a night if they want to get away, or a Saturday, you get the idea)

It’s people like you OP that deserve help. Young child and training for a profession where there is a shortage. I don’t have solutions but I hope you sort it.

Thank you!

I would look to pay someone cash in hand to be honest, a retired neighbour you're friendly with? Someone you know who does a bit of cleaning (my friend asked our other friends cleaner to babysit and it worked perfectly).

You might get lucky with community placements and be home by 6. How will you manage weekends and nights though? Of I was your mentor I'd let you knock off at 5 and make the hours up, but not everyone will of course.

Ask in your local Fb for any babysitters /nannies

Meet 3/4 and then hopefully between them you can fill the hours you need

Wow - what an inspiration you are, and will be to your daughter! What you're doing is wonderful - we need more nurses so thank you! 💐

There must be help somewhere for you. Perhaps you could ask your tutors if they know what other students have done. Do they know of any social groups of existing student nurses that you could tap into.

Do you know any of your neighbours? Is there a local Mum's group who might have ideas / connections?

I think you need a different approach and need someone older no younger.
Someone who will do pick up and make tea.
A mothers help type thing.

Good luck with your placement OP! I had a short term au pair (3 months) a couple of times, once when I was doing healthcare placements. I think the bedroom might be the limiting factor though and also I think it might be cheaper to just have the network of babysitters that someone else suggested. Do you know any gap year or A level students, they might be interested, or people studying childcare at college? Do your neighbours know any? Have your nursery had any students recently? Maybe ask at other nurseries eg if you know someone who sends a child there. Anyone doing relevant degrees where you’re studying or students in other years who have placements at different times. Any TAs at local schools eg ones without their own childcare demands. Any fellow students with children who might know people locally? It’s a hassle to organise but I imagine there will be people who can help. I would go mainly word of mouth or through organisations where staff already have DBS and trust your gut. Are there any friends or family who are close to your daughter who could come and stay for a week or two , or who your daughter could stay with. Eg if some of it is school holidays maybe a younger cousin. Hope you work it out !

If you only need ad hoc care try sitters.co.uk
we’ve used them many times , everyone is reviewed and dbs checked. You often get nursery workers and retired teachers doing it.

If you're in sw london/Surrey borders pm me please as I'm looking for work for these hours. I'm registered, dbs etc and have references, currently work in an sen school and need to pick up some more work.

My friend's 17 year old daughter would do this. Have you posted in local mum WhatsApp groups? That's where I see the most requests/responses from babysitters.

Would cost you a bomb! Cheaper to have a babysitter I would’ve thought

It's the statutory overcrowding definition (room standard):

The room standard is based on the number and sex of people who must sleep in one room.

The room standard is contravened if two people of the opposite sex must sleep in the same room. There is an exception for cohabiting, married or civil partnered couples, who can live in the same room without causing overcrowding. Children under the age of ten are completely ignored in the calculation.

All living rooms and bedrooms are included in the calculation.

The room standard does not limit the number of people of the same sex who can live in the same room. A household might also be overcrowded under the space standard if too many people must sleep in the same room.

https://england.shelter.org.uk/professional_resources/legal/housing_conditions/overcrowding#title-1

This is the minimum standard that local authorities must adhere to. Most councils' definition of overcrowding is not as bad as this but one adult and one child under 10 in a one bed flat is quite usual.

Hope you sort something out @Stardough

Will you be working evenings and nights? I don't see how that would work. Are there many child carers that would look after a child 3pm until the next morning?!

Oh sorry didn't see the updates.!

It sounds like you need a babysitter. I'd post requirements on childcare.co.uk

You need a few you can book in on an ad hoc basis. It may take a bit if juggling.

I'd also post on local facebook groups for recommendations.

Hope you find something.