What do you do when you need childcare after 6pm?

[neenztwinz]

I am going back to work in July and my hours are 10-6. It's an hour's drive each way so I need childcare to 7pm ideally. But all the nurseries and childminders seem to shut at 6pm. What are my other options? 7pm is quite late for the children to be in chidcare anyway (they go to bed at 7 at the moment!) - they will be 14mo then - does anyone else have their kids in childcare till 7pm?

I am looking into getting a nanny (for twins - 2 days a week) but it might be too expensive or I might not be able to find one.

I could ask for compressed hours but would have to do 9.30-4.30 (ie no lunch break) cos we can't start before 9.30 and leaving at 5pm is awful for the traffic and I probably wouldn't be back in an hour then. I would rather do 10-6 but is it going to be possible?

Glad its not just my ILs who say no to all forms of Childcare!!! my parents do too - hence why I can't go back to my old career!!!

My children are not hard work, they are angels! I heard back from a CM actually this morning and she will have them till 6.30 and give them tea. She sounds promising, but is more expensive than the nursery! She would only have my two though and her own 2yo so that would be good. So that is an option to look into.

what does trhe nursery cost and what will the cm cost?

Why don't you do drop offs and your DH do the pick ups every day (or vice versa)? That way you each have the flexibility to lengthen your work day at one end.

Actually Blondes the nursery is more expensive. I got the info from them today and it is £37 a day. They charge an extra £4 for 5.30-6pm! When I first enquired I said 9.30-4.30 and she said that was considered to be all day and would be £33. The CM is £3.75 an hour and would be 9.30 to 6.30 (so £33.75 each per day).

I would drop them off at 9.30 and DH would pick them up but he doesn't finish till 5.30pm and it is 45mins-ish commute. He is a lawyer and partner so it is not so easy for him to just finish early, although you'd think as one of the bosses it would!

The CM said she would give them tea anyway so DH can just bring them home for bathtime. I'll get in at 7pm. Not ideal, I would rather they weren't there so late but it is only two days and we don;t have any other option. I only have to go back to work for six months to keep my mat pay so if I am not happy I will just quit and be full-time SAHM . I am lucky to have that option.

i cant beleive the nursery charges extra for the last 30mins

surely they have a daily set rate - seems very weird

but glad this cm works out a bit cheaper, and hope daddy enjoys bathing them

and you arrive home to clean fed children - ready for bed - perfect

I thought the nursery thing was odd too! Yes it will be nice to get home with all the hard work already done

A CM is so much better for little ones than a nursery anyway

Have you thought of a nanny that had her own child? They might be willing to work for a reduced hourly rate as they are effectively getting childcare for that period of time as well.

I had a nanny 1 day a week, but it was a really long day (7.00 am until 7.00 pm), but she had a young child with her, and was able to pick up her other child from school and bring her home to our place. She was really happy with one long day a week, as she only wanted to work part time.

SadMarg, how did you advertise the post and how much did the nanny cost? I am in Merseyside so wonder if nannies are that widely available here. Also I will barely make £90 a day after tax etc so wouldn't want it to be loads more than that.

The CM has just one child of her own anyway and wouldn't take on any more mindies on the days she had mine so it is almost the same as your situation anyway .

In answer to the original question - and at a risk of being flamed to death - change your job!

It worked out cheaper for us to have a nanny once we had two children, and you may find it a bit more flexible.

I reasoned that a nanny was likely to be less ill than the children as well - so removing the awkward issue of childcare when they are poorly ...

I found her through www.nannyjob.co.uk. Mine was in London, and so assume more expensive than what you would pay.

I just typed in part time nanny, mersyside, live out and 4 CVs came up that matched that requirement. Be warned though, that some of these nannies may not even respond!

To get any more info than that (ie their contact details) you will need to pay a small fee. You could also list your job vacancy and let nannies apply for it, and you could specify what the pay rate would be straight away.

Oh and the biggest difference between the CM and the nanny is that when you get home your children are already at home, and settled. No disrupting them by putting them into the car (risking them falling asleep in the trip home!!!), fed, bathed, etc. And when you go to work, if you are running late your nanny is there and you can just whip around getting ready, rather than frantically getting your children together, into the car, and to the CM.

Seeker, thanks for your input but I have to go back to work for six months in order to keep my additional maternity pay of £4,000.

I will probably quit althogether after six months so I can look after my own children. I am very fortunate to be in that situation.

But in this current economic climate I'm not sure it is very helpful to just say 'change your job', is it?

Thanks for the advice Sadmarg, I might just do an advertisement and see what responses I get.

also worth puttng an ad on your local netmums - many nannies look there, and i know 3 nannies in my area who would kill for a one day job, to go with their 3 day jobs, and have a day off as well

you pay £74 a day for both, tbh i doubt if you would find a nanny for that as you will have to pay tax and ni on their wage

having a nanny makes life easier than nursery or a cm as all you have to do is come home

but then again, there may be nanny who is a mum, who wants work 2 days, doesnt have any other job and therefore that daily rate will be just over the tax threshold and you would have a lot of tax and ni on top of this

maybe nick could work out costs for you - he is very good at that

Do you mean I wouldn't have a lot of tax and ni to pay?

oops yes but relise this wouldnt work for 2 days a week

you can earn £6035 before tax - so 116 a week - if you found a nanny with own child or a nanny with a few years exp, you may pay less

so you could get a nanny for £70nett - so would be 140nett - which according to nannytax would cost you £158 per weekof course if you managed to find someone cheaper than £140gross then this would be less

i think my calculations are right - sure nick will clarify

Thanks Blondes!

I too would suggest a nanny with own child and maybe set the rate as £65 net per day for 9-7 so a ten hr day that £6.50 an hr net which is a good rate for nanny with own child.

also 9am means you can get sorted and have time to chat to nanny if needed and finishing at 7pm means the nanny can hand over to your husband and there will be no rushing either end of the day.

look on www.nannyjob.co.uk

www.netmums.co.uk

www.gumtree.co.uk

www.childcare.co.uk

Thanks lindseyfox. I have contacted a nanny in my area already from nannyjob, she has her own child so perhaps it could be the perfect answer. Would £7 an hour gross be about right then?

yes I would think that £7 gross would be fair and agreeing a gross salary is a good idea as if the nanny decides to work on the other days it wont affect what you need to pay her.

obv the nanny you have contacted will need to agree to the salary and maybe some negotitation there that you start on £7 gross an hr with an increase to £7.50 in six months if all is going well for both parties.

Unfortunately the nanny I contacted can't do it, but I may place an ad if I am not sure about the CM.

no harm in placing an ad on netmums, its free, you never know you may find the perfect nanny (well 2nd perfect nanny - im taken )

lol - thanks!