Does anyone know of an emergency childminder/nanny in Kent?

[LucyJones]

The kind that would do occasionally nursery/school pickups if the kids are ill or is that too unlikely?

I doubt that a cm would want to pick up ill children from school/nursery tbh - as norm cm's dont take ill children

so a nanny would prob be your best bet, maybe have an arrangement with a part time local nanny to cover you but would also depend if they were working that day - you could get a temp nanny in possibly to cover at short notice from an agency

where in kent are you?

near Canterbury
I know it's a bit of a long shot but work are getting fed up with all the time me and dh have to take off
We have no family nearby and because we've just moved no emergency friends/neighbours we can just ask
Also there is the problem of car seats if you just ask a freidn neighourbour, a professional nanny would be more liely to be equipped with those sorts of things i guess.
It's tricky.

I guess what we need is one of those borrowed grandma's I've heard of

• im a professional nanny but I dont own any car seats,as I always drive the famillies car

Im in kent, but not really near canterbury, bout hrs drive away - so sorry I cant really help

I do know of a nanny in canterbury but she works 5days a week,and pretty sure her Mb wouldnt want ill children mixing with hers

I have an ad on my part of netmums stating that I work part time, and offer a service to mums who need emergancy childcare/day of peace to theirselves etc -

might be worth you looking on your part of netmums to see if there is a me there, or put your own ad on stating what you would like, you might get a few phone numbers that you could call in an emergancy

I would offer to help as I am nearby, but not sure what you would be wanting - I would imagine if your children are ill they can't go to school/nursery anyway?

Or did you mean to collect them if they become ill while there?

yes sorry not very clear
I mean collect them if they are ill
in the last month every other week we've had to pick them up or stya home with them
I'd be willing to pay of course

whats been wrong with them?

tummy bug
conjunctivitis etc

Surely if your children are ill and need sending home from school, you ought to be looking after them. Imagine feeling poorly, and a relative stranger collecting you when you just want your mummy.

Kids Do get ill. A childminder wouldnt collect them, they have other children to consider and a nanny can't sit at home waiting for a call to say 'drop everything, and bring a bucket!'

I think you're just going to have to reconcile yourself with looking after your own children.

Oh dear I hope this isn't going to kick off.

LucyJones - I hope you manage to find someone you can use, it's difficult having no support and in this climate I guess we are all fearful of employment issues.

I would probably say no to helping out myself as I have two little ones at home, but you might find somebody who isn't bothered by childhood illnesses like maybe an older woman as you suggested.

Hope you settle well in your new home!

Lucy, how old are your kids, and how close exactly? We live near Boughton and my nanny grew up here and has shedloads of friends in the 22-24 ryr age range. I can always ask her. Cat me if you want....

ooh Squiffy I might just do that
I do feel like I should be looking after them obviously, but the nursery often rings when they have a higher temperature, I bring them home and give calpl and they are fine - work are starting to moan at me and dh, I can't give up my part time job as we need my wages to pay the mortgage... dh's boss has asked him if we can try and find someone
We don't even have an emergency contact for nursery , just my mum who lives 300 miles away

It is really stressful dealing with this, and the first year of nursery is the worst for bugs and fevers. You end up stuck between a rock and a hard place - guilt of 'taking liberties' at work and guilt of not being there 24/7 when they have a fever.

FWIW my second child has never one had a day off nursry in 2 years (she does only go twice a week admittedly) - I think she has picked up better immunity from her brother (and now that he is 4 he has only had one time off school episode in 12 months - with D&V). It does get so much better.

Janitor, nowhere on the thread has it been suggested that the child is being sent back to nursery before recovered. That's the whole point - if the child catches a bug then they need to stay away from nursery. If the parents take time off each time this happens they get fired. The employment law only extends to protect parents for the time off in these cases until they arrange someone else to look after their ill children, not to look after them themselves. So all LJ is doing is looking for someone who can care for her kids at home whlst they recover. Sounds sensible to me.

There's enough bloody SAHM debates kicking off on the other threads - this one is just looking for practical advice to a common problem.

I know of somebody lovely in Canterbury who will be available from September but I think she might want something a bit more regular...

Sorry - janitor, my heckles are up from the other threads... LJ said her child has had something every other week - which sounds like two small episodes of nothing in particular over as month - when my DS was teething he had diarrhea for ever single tooth just for a day or two and that really was a nightmare to deal with, until the nursery twigged that it really was teething (complicated because he had the diarrhea before the other symptoms became obvious).

But I admit I shouldn't have jumped down your throat, especially when you were being so mild-mannered about it

Hello, single Dad looking for a P/T afternoon help in Hackney for a ten year old daughter starting next week. Pick up from school, supervise homework, feed and drop home 07766133916 is the number. Can anyone help??!
Cheers
P

if you could get a few numbers of part time nannys and if your child is ill to then ring round and see if anyone was free to pick up that day, I think would be your best bet, unless you have a neighbour who would be willing to pick up and have for the day - obviously you will pay them

worst case senerio, you call an agency and get a temp nanny if child is off for a few days - but prob would be a stranger

just wondereing if you could afford a nanny perm,rather than nursery,esp if you have 2 children - child care vouchers can help with salary if you get a registered nanny? That way a nanny would always have the ill children, one of the perks of having a nanny against cm and nursery

OK LJ, chatted with nanny this am. she knows a few primary school teachers (and one Chaucer teacher) who seem to be wanting bits of extra work in the holidays (duh! Why didn't she tell me that? I've been tearing my hair out these holidays....). So there is potential during school hols. But depends exactly where you live and if on a bus route, as some don't drive.

Other than that, she has a friend who is pg who might be able to help out every now although timing is wrong at the moment (34 wks pg, so only a few weeks left then she will be busy I guess for at least 4 months and might be wary about bugs and baby).

Anyway, all getting too detailed for a thread. Send me a CAT, let me know where you live - in CT or in village, age of kids etc etc. We can take it from there.