Irregular work schedule- help!

[lulu1414]

Hello- I'm hoping for some advice. I will need a childminder/ nanny/ nursery or some such in 7 months when DD is 15 months. I would ideally like someone very flexible as my work is flexible and my husband has an irregular work schedule and gets quite a few days a week off so he would like to do as much as he could. Has anyone found childminders/ nurseries that allow you to be flexible ie have different days? We would have DH roster 1 month in advance, so we could come up with a schedule that far in advance. Any ideas?

I think that it will depend very much on local circumstances. And how many hours a week do you think that you will need on average?

In general nurseries and childminders will want fixed days so that they can fill all of their spaces (as they will have a limit on the total number of places available each day), and as they couldn't guarantee finding someone who wanted the days you didn't want, they would be using up a full place for your child. If the local demand is such that they can easily fill the spaces then they will be reluctant to take you on. If you are willing to pay a decent retainer then a childminder may not mind, but again this won't be a cheap option.

But this does vary by area, and you may be lucky and find a flexible cm. For a nanny it would depend on whetehr the hours are goign to provide a fulltime equivalent wage or not.

I don't know if you are near me but I am self employed and work "ad hoc" hours.

I am in St Albans

My childminder is ok with a similar arrangement. I only get my rotas 6 weeks in advance maximum, my shifts are never regular, and I'm liable to shift changes with less than 48 hours notice sometimes (though I can refuse a shift it it's impossible). I write out my shifts for her as far ahead as possible, she pins it to her fridge so she always knows when ds is next with her. She's used to this because my sister has used her before and a friend of mine does too and we all work in telly and all have the same kind of scenario.

I guess it depends on the childminder... I was lucky to find one who's flexible.

My sister has to be at work at 6.30am, and her dh is always travelling so she managed to find someone who can come in at 6am and get her dd's up, dressed and off to school in the mornings. If you search around you can always find someone willing to do the oddest things. My sister's nanny is actually at college doing a nannying course, she found her through Craig's list I think. Don't know if you're in London but you could try putting an add on somewhere like that...