Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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Paid childcare

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

Seeking advice and information

2 replies

JaysiaF · 01/05/2024 08:56

Hello, I’m a fairly new mom with a toddler who just turned 2 last week. While I was pregnant, my previous job was cutting back on staff and I was unfortunately in the selection. Therefore I had to go on universal credit right away and have been on it since. I’m now at a point where I would like to start working again as I’m struggling with what little money I’ve been getting from universal credit, as it doesn’t even covers my bills/food etc. My questions are, what do I do first, do I try to get my son into a nursery first, before securing a job? Or do I have to secure a job first? I understand we get the first 16 hrs free for nursery. Am I entitled to that first 16 free hours while I’m still unemployed. Reason I also ask is, because I have no one to look after my son while I go for interviews. So if I could get him into a nursery for a couple of days covering those 16 hrs while I’m job hunting and attending interviews, would help massively. But like I said before, I’m not sure if that the correct order to going about it.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
HelpMeUnpickThis · 01/05/2024 09:04

Is there any way you could ask friends or family to watch him while you interview? Reason is nursery in my experience involves a formal contract with a notice period. I wouldnt sign up to that without a confirmed job offer as you will then be committed to pay.

Unexpectedlysinglemum · 01/05/2024 10:09

I think that universal credit pays 85% of your childcare bill but I don't know if you have to start work first. I think you should research local childcare and find out who has a space or what the waiting list is, get a job (use a babysitter app when you go on Interviews) and then once youve got one negotiate start date to align with starting nursery.

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