I'm planning on starting uni in sept and using a close friend who is also a CM to look after my two dc, dd who will be 2 but not at pre-school, and ds who will be 4 but will have started full time school (same school as her dcs)
Because I have no idea of timetable or anything, and won't until I start, and also placements will change this as well (I'm doing nursing) we were discussing me paying her for a set amount of hours every week. eg 40, and seeing where that takes us. I won't be using her most of the school holidays as I get 10 weeks off, but I will pay her anyways, the idea being if the hours shoot up eg for placements, she will cover those to the best of her ability. Plus university is a good hour and a half away.
The thing is she doesn't have a place for my ds for two days a week. I don't know yet if I will need her those days (previous years indicate I may only be in three days a week. However, my latesplan was still paying her our agreed amount, then if she can't fit ds in on certain days (which most likely we know in advance) she pays for him to go to afterschool/holiday club. That way she's still making a tiny bit of money while he's there as it's cheaper, I know exactly what I'm paying each week, student bursaries only have to deal with one childcare provider...
How does that sound for a plan? Is it legitimate? Can she claim the money back as expenses? (we assumed so)