Flexible childcare options

[Stefka]

My husband is self employed and often works odd hours. I need to go back to work but I am also freelance and will need to work here and there and often in the evenings or at the weekends.

Eventually we would like an aupair but we can't do that now because our house is too small. What other options are there in the mean time?

no solution but interested myself..

hire someone like me

I work perm 3 days a week, and temp/freelance (and go to out for lunch ) on other 2 days

I have several ladies who use me as they freelance, also mums who want to go shopping/gym/have hair done etc without their children

I gen need a bit of notice or I am booked up - is there any way that you could work on the same day - how reg is your freelance work?

I might be able to get regular slots on particular evenings or days. My DH may be able to do some of those. So if it was a situation like that I could hire someone like you? What is the best way for me to find someone like you? Also are you able to give me an indication of cost?

I like the sound of your feelance/lunch days!!

Today is a lunch day - just waiting for my friend

I charge £10ph and have a min of 4 hrs fee

I have ads on www.gumtree.com and www.nannyjob.co.uk and www.netmums.co.uk and I get a lot of my work through word of mouth, mums who know me and my ads

you could look at ads, and also put your own one up on those sites

or someone like me

mummy knows best

Hi stefka, where do you live . I also do this type of work.

Central Scotland. I think it's going to be too expensive for me though. I won't make forty pounds myself working sadly! I am finding it really hard getting back to work because of the child care issue.

Stefka - loads of nannies have a perm job then do temp work around it there are about 4/5 of using these boards alone! IME £10 is the high end of the pay scale, I have done jobs for £5+ in the past it is just down to the nanny in question and also how easy your family is to deal with (no offence meant by that!).

Another option depending on the age and number of your children might be to find someone on a local college course doing something related to childcare who would like to get some experience while they are still training.

I actually know someone who "finds" employees for people in your position; she doesn't run an agency so doesn't have girls on her books but she uses the internet finding suitable people and then provides a short list to the parents within a deadline to suit your needs. I think her fees work like this: £40 for the search and then £40 if you decide you like anyone from her search. Much cheaper than an agency but still quite a lot of money really; especially if money is tight!

Another option would be for you to place an advert on sites like gumtree, nany job,find a sitter,find a baby sitter, your local net mums and of course, your local mumsnet! There are probably others too, nanny nick always knows loads!

On the Inverness Gumtree (sorry my geography is shocking but I think that's the most central from the listed cities on Gumtree?) I have quickly found 2 adverts. 1 within within 30 miles of aviemore and there is also this one. Just remember to go through all checks like CRB (or equiv in Scotland, REFERENCES written and verbal, first aid cert would be brill etc).

Good luck!

Inverness is a bit of a trek from where I am - that's at the top of Scotland - I am down near Edinburgh

It's so hard to get back to work and the worst thing is I don't even want to get back to work I want to stay with my boy but I need to earn a bit of cash. No win situation really.

if you want to stay with your child and earn money, then why not register as a CM?

I am at the top end of the range ( but im worth it ) but sure there are people like NEL for example who charge less, also those prices are based in kent, scotland would be much cheaper