Childcare share/swap (not nanny-share)

[ChocOrange05]

I have to go back to work in September for 4 days a week but I don't want to go back for so many days .

In an ideal world I would work 2/3 days so I can spend more time with DS but this isn't feasable for us. I was thinking about options and one idea was to share childcare with another family in the same situation. So I look after their LO for 2 days a week and they look after mine - thus we would each do it for free.

Has anyone ever done this and how did it work? Did you have any problems? Do you have any advice if I want to do this?

Thanks

Maybe I am wrong..Im sure someone will correct me if I am. Sharing childcare causes problems legally these days unless you both register as childminders.

You are not able to look after another child at your home for money or 'reward' your reward for looking after their child would be that they look after your child in return...therefore you must register as a cm to do this legally.

If you go to their house to look after their child then it counts as nannying and you are ok.

I know my mum had this arrangement with another mum for us when we were children and it work out very well. The children were a similar age to me and my sister and we were all great pals.

ditto

There are legal issues but if no one knows about it and nothing untoward happens, then the authorities (Ofsted if you are in England) is unlikely to find out about it. I expect it happens quite often... but you won't get people admitting it as that could then open them up to legal difficulties.

You would need to find another family to exchange with via word-of-mouth. If you were to advertise that may get noticed and potentially reported. It is also probably best to be done with a family you know well, children you and your DS knows well.