What would you do?

[RS11]

I have two DC, one in school and one in nursery. Due to work patterns changing we need someone to cover our pick ups one day a week. We have been contemplating hiring a babysitter / nanny to help with this but the thought of a stranger suddenly collecting DC during their witching hours is putting me off.

I was chit chatting with my cleaning lady today and it came up in conversation. Towards the end of her work she did offer herself for consideration.

Now on one hand I get on with her well, she’s been with us for over a year, never any complaints - she knows the kids too so she is no stranger to them. It’s only 4:30-7:30 really. She’s a mum herself. On the surface I feel like this would save me a lot of stress. On the other hand she’s not an official nanny (so no paperwork etc).

Good idea or should we not muddy the waters?

I wouldn't. Is she insured to look after kids? First aid trained?

I think this is why I’m thinking about this - so no. It would more be like a friend looking after kids (only with payment of course) for three hours. She would just need to give them dinner and wait for us to come home

I think it's different when it's someone unpaid. As soon as they are paid that's a different set up. I'd find a baby sitter and do a couple of intro sessions if you can.

I would. It's just like a friend's mum looking after them really isn't it. You know and trust/ like her, it's only 3 hours so you really just need someone responsible with common sense.

Yep, it would save me from having to look for someone I like, do checks, introduce them etc

Babysitters have no qualifications - haven’t you ever used a friend or family member or local teenager to look after your kids? This seems like a good solution.

Friend yes, not heaps of family around, definitely not a teenager!

I think this sounds like a good solution, if she is reliable and it won't be like a favour that she can bunk off any time she gets a better offer etc. I think it would be hard to find someone with chikdcare qualifications to work for just 3 hours a week.... you'd end up with a college student etc, and your cleaner as a mom would probably be better than that.

It’s 3hrs. You know and trust her and kids know her

yes she should get pli around £70/80 a year and ideally first aid

as it’s the sam hours /day weekly legal she should be employed and paid holidays :pension etc but guessing as she is se for cleaning, you would pay her cash

It's fine.
I would offer a first aid course. I offer all our babysitters to pay for one if they haven't had one.

I know someone who pays her cleaner to collect her child from school one day per week. All very unofficial, no paperwork, no first aid training etc. it's more like a family friend but with payment.

I also know lots of parents who help each other out with pick ups for no payment, they just return the favour.

If it was just up to 2 hours per day then you don't have an issue. But anyone receiving payment for more than 2 hours per day may have problems. For example, someone might report her for illegally operating a childcare services.