Unsocial hours and childminders...

[solo]

I've never employed a CM before but if I'm forced to return to work at the end of January I will need to.
I've looked at some CM's details online just to get an idea about them really, but there have been none at all that mention unsocial hours. My working hours mean that I would need to drop my Dc's off at 05:45 and not collect until around 8pm. Ds is of school age(10)and could probably walk himself to and from school so not so many hours in CM's care for him, but Dd would be all the time as she would only be 2 years old. I also will be working every other weekend, so for example over 2 weeks, I might work M,T,W, off Th&Fr, work SAT,SUN,MON, off Tues/Weds, work Thurs/Fri, off Sat/Sun...
I wouldn't know what to expect with regard to cost either. Can anyone shed some light on this for me please?
Sorry, I hope that all makes sense.

You don't 'employ' a childminder - you contract to use her services

You DS walking to school might be a issue because of 'who would be responsible for him while he was walking to school' iyswim

Some childminders work weekends & some don't

But tbh the problem will be that the childminder is unlikely to want paying (either in full or a retainer) for the days you don't need them

Cost is complicated - the best idea is to look on the CIS website for your area to get an idea of price - some childminders charge more outside of 'normal' hours (eg I charge about 50% more before 7am or after 6pm)

Good luck

Well like I said, I've never had anything to do with a CM before, so employ was what I assumed I'd be doing since I'd be paying her
.
I wouldn't want to pay for days I wasn't using them, so I'm wondering if you meant the CM is likely to want paying for the days I don't need them?
CIS website had no CM's that specified that they did unsocial hours.

Thanks for your info KM.

Whoops sorry yes - likely because she won't find anyone else to fill those days

CIS only has standard boxes so I would just ring the childminders anyway (IYSWIM)

To be honest I would think you would be better off with a nanny.

Most CM's although not all, will charge at least a retainer, for days not used one week but used the next, as obviously they cant 'let' those days to other parents.

5.45am, that's rather early.
Is having some kind of live-in help a possibility? This has the plus point of the children and the carer all still being in bed at 5.45am. Has the negative point of sharing your home with a young adult.

Or if you have space - you could swop a room for some childcare mornings & evening (maybe a student?) using s childmider in between

Not unless they want to bunk down with me! I have two bedrooms only, so am in need of a third for Dd...so that's out of the question.
Think I'm stuffed basically then...just better hope that work will let me have the next 4 years off, then Ds will have to take responsibility for Dd before and after school. Not ideal, but I don't see an alternative.
Life gets better and better...

what job do you and your dh do? sounds like between you you need to see what sort of felxible working your employers could consider, or look for work elsewhere. not easy at the mo of course.

Its worth ringing round the childminders, you might find someone who does unsocial hours and there are several CMs on here with no mindees who might consider it.

If you ask CIS to send out the details of the CM's, there are usually more on there than on the internet.

Dont give up, if you need to go back to work then you need to go back to work, there must be someone out there for you.

Tell us the vague area you need and there may be someone on here in that area that can help.

Solo, I am a childminder that covers shifts (although the earliest that I start is 6.45am) and I don't charge for the days not used, but this is the agreement that I arranged with my mindees mum. I don't state on the CIS site that I work unsocial hours as it had never come up before. As Katy said ring the childminders on the list, and see what they say. Otherwise, could you not discuss 'family friendly' hours with your work? Stating that this would only need to be in place until dd goes to school etc

My immediate thought was 5.45am to 8pm is an incredibly long day for an adult let alone a child. I think it is unlikely you will find many cm willing to that plus weekends plus days varying each week. It will be a case of lots of ringing around.
If you don't have space for nanny to live in, what about a live out nanny? If you found one willing to get to your house for 5.45am then atleast your little ones don't have to get up so early and can get ready for bed etc in the evening.

Is there any chance you could rethink your working pattern/hours? I expect you already have considered all options but I do think that this sort of childcare, if you do find someone, is likely to be very expensive and , frankly , a bit rough on the kids.

Solo parent here I'm sorry to say...my job is for the Ministry of Justice and they are swines when it comes to being ultra flexible. I'd still have to start very early and I wouldn't be able to get back before 8pm. If I went part time, I'd have to work every Friday and Saturday or Sunday and Monday and fit 20 hours into those days. It's 3 hours travel a day too...
I am near Bexleyheath.

Yes to rough on the kids...I know, but choices are limited.

might be that more than one person could be the answer - for eg someone to come to the house and get them up and ready , drop off at a 9-5 type child minder then pick up? Could suit skint childcare student for eg?

Moopy, can you honestly see a student leaving their own bed at God knows what hour to knock on my door at 5:45? And then it's not likely that I could afford to pay them because they wouldn't be registered childcare(not that I'll be entitled to much help). I truly think I'm caught between a rock and a hard place...

I think you might find it hard to find a childminder, but it is possible. You would effectively be using up a full time space and some childminders may want to be paid full time for that.

Worth asking around, because you may be lucky, but I think you may need to do some research into alternative childcare - nanny, aupair share ????

The Children's Information Service may be able to help you with this.

..... and you may be able to get your younger child into nursery and get someone else to take them and collect them from there???? but I don't know about that.

Not much help, sorry.

Thank you HSMM.

Are there any other options? Moving house to be nearer to your work. Changing your job?
Or if you can have someone living in your house a live in nanny or au pair+childminder or nursery.

I think a childminder would work out really expensive - it's not just paying for a full time space but most would charge a premium for working a Sat/Sun. That's if you can find one willing to work weekends in the first place.

I think a nanny that doesn't mind working a shift system would be your best option - or a change of job.

Sorry, not much help

No, I'd need at least £750000(3/4 million)k to move near work! my house is not even worth a 3rd of that! can't change my job, even transfering is not easy, not that I want to change places or jobs. Only have two bedrooms and already have my Dd sleeping in my room...

I'm in a no win situation nbee84.

Does your budget for childcare come close to funding a nanny? Maybe a recently qualified student looking for a first job to get some experience would work out a bit cheaper.

No. I don't even know how I'll pay for a CM at 'normal times/rates'. I'm currently feeding and clothing me and the Dc's on £25~£30 a week, I think it'll be baked beans on toast every night when I go back to work.

I think that I am going to have to have 4 more years off and by then my Ds will be 14 and should be able to take some responsibility for his sister...she'll be 6 and at school by then, so I think it could work like that. I can pay my Ds an allowance for taking the responsibility on.

My sister does that with her 2 sons. Works okay as they get on reasonably well.

It really does sound as if you can't afford to go back to your old job

Could you do some other kind of work, that has more family friendly hours, until your youngest goes to school?