At our wits end with childcare - any advice

[glasspaw]

We engaged an agency to find us a 2 day a week nanny. We paid a finders fee of around £2k in January. The nanny started in February and decided she was relocating literally 2 weeks later. The agency found us a free replacement but it took 4 months. We had to pay the payroll company twice to register two different individuals. Nanny 2 started in July and has now handed in her notice.

in total we have paid about £2500 in agency and payroll fees, and for that we have had childcare cover for less than 4 months in total.

Do we have any protection here? My guess is that the answer is no but this all feels tremendously unfair. The agency has said we have used our free replacement search already so would have to pay again. I know we are in a privileged position to be able to pay a nanny but genuinely it’s the only option that allows us both to keep working. We aren’t rolling in it and are still eligible for the 30 “free” hours but with two children to cover and work schedules that sometimes have us both away overnight it just isn’t a sustainable option.

Agencies can be good but not their fault both Nannie’s didn’t work out

yes 1st should have said maybe dh is relocating tho you want have used her

2nd not her fault a family stopped and she needed another full time role

2 days isn’t a lot so a nanny will 99% need to find another 2/3 days job to work aside

are the days flexible or have to be x&y

childcare site is the best but yes to pay for a month or two and place own ad and search and message any nanny that is looking for 2 days within say a 20mile radius

many Nannie’s will say that if the family can’t /wont pay for a month so about £25 if no offers they can’t be serious to find a nanny

many Nannie’s won’t pay so they can’t reply or send messages

fwiw I’ve always paid as I’ve got jobs from that site and obv one job more than pays the yearly fee (discounted for me as paid for ages and did a deal so pay £12 a month) so over the year it’s not even a nights salary plus an expense as self employed as a maternity practitioner

No one can make a living working two days where flexibility is also expected according to the employer's needs. It's not that entertaining to agree to work overtime randomly.

A nanny will probably constantly look for a job with more hours and better working hours.

Go for a nursery.

What age are your children ? Is the job secure for a few years

many Nannie’s start then a year later off to nursery ans they are looking for a new job again

unfortunately u r unlikely to have much come back but you could try to argue that the first nanny should not have used up your placement fee as she didn’t last more than a couple of weeks.

and then the agency took 4 m to find a replacement. Who also didn’t last.

fwiw - Nannie’s hate working late unless agreed in advance. All my friends who had Nannie’s agreed 1 night would be a late night every week.

it gives certainty to the nanny on £££. And hours. Ie they may wish to take a babysitting job via Bubble several nights a week but they need to be out the door on time to get to another gig so you calling up to say you are going to be late just won’t fly.

other friends had a full time nanny over the summer who reduced to 2 half days once school began.
but she was local. Which went in their favour….
when she got a full time role and could no longer work for the family she introduced her mum. Her mum is now a pseudo granny (albeit paid). She does odd hours here and there and has been a life saver.

we had other friends who also had a similar set up with a local mum.

In your shoes I would consider au pair and nursery , or getting a lodger that is happy to do overnight care in exchange for rent reduction. A nursery nurse etc might be ideal.