3 days to 5 in Sept, nursery can only give three days/wk, current CM going on maternity leave, aaaarggh!!!

[groogle]

I am getting so stressed about this I don't know what to do! Has anyone got any advice?
So, my work is going from p/t (3 days) to f/t (5 days) in September. My DD is with a CM currently, and has got a place at a lovely nursery for 3 days from Sept (this is like golddust!!). So she will go to the nursery for 3 days (alternate) and to her current CM for 2. However, my CM is going on maternity leave from January, and the nursery say its very very unlikely that they will be able to give her a FT place then. Which means I'll have to find her a new CM for those two days. The thing is, my DD took a very long time to settle at her CM, and I'm really worried that this will be really hard for her. So the alternative is to forget the nursery and find her a new FT CM from September. I really don't know what to do! Has anyone got any suggestions? Thanks!

Can you not put your DD down for those extra days now so she is on a waiting list?

I do think I would be inclined to go for continuity of care - so either 5 days at nursery or with a CM (but that is a personal preference)

You have got until January so stop stressing - call your local council and get an approved list of Childcare providers as a start

also, there is a thread on MN for mums looking for childcare so you may find someone

Thanks Rubyslippers. I have now put her on the waiting list but it's extremely full already. I think you're absolutely right about continuity of care, that's why I'm concerned, it's just that the nursery is great and I think she'll enjoy it, so it seems such a shame to lose that place altogether in favour of a FT CM. I am not even sure though that it's fair for her to go to nursery/CM on alternate days in the meantime though. This is so difficult!

i feel your pain!

DS is in nursery FT at the moment - but i am going on Mat leave in the autumn, which means pulling him out and then finding a nanny or CM for him and the newbie next Spring

childcare needs to be right - but you have time on your side

Not sure how old your DS is?

Can your current CM not reccommend someone, lots of CM's get together regularly so your DS may already be familiar with another minder and her mindees.

I would definately put name down for F/T space at the nursery a lot can happen in 6 months.

Personally don't do the shared care thing and a lot of CM's I know don't either especially now that EYFS is in, loads of communication issues and lots of paperwork.

Sorry DD

is there another nursery she could go to full time?

why is your job changing from part ime to full time, is it your choice?

Hello atworknotworking. When you say shared care, do you mean CM's don't like looking after a child who also goes to nursery? Thanks!

Hi bigchris. Yes, I've got a new job, it's really good and very flexible so I'm hoping I won't actually be at work FT, but I do need FT childcare as I won't be able to predict on which days I can slope off a bit early/work from home, etc. There is no other nursery nearby that has a FT or even a PT place. Round here it is DIRE, it's the talking point of all the Mums, there just aren't enough nursery places, which is why I want to hold on to this one so much!

groogle erm yeah thats what I mean but I don't want to generalise, we all do things differently, but certainly where I am CM's that are prepared to split with nurseries are the exception rather than the norm.

Oh, Ok, that puts a new light on it, so maybe it would be hard to find a PT CM after Christmas in any case. Hmmm. God, maybe I should just forget the nursery and see if I can find a lovely FT CM from September. That will be badly letting down my current CM who won't be able to fill that place before her maternity leave. God, what to do.

As a childminder I certainly work with nurseries & would take on a part time child if I had the vacancy for the days you required. I have two of my mindies at present who go to nursery school 5 mornings a week & I work with them re progress etc. In the past I have done shared care with a nursery & would do it again if asked.

Hi badgerhead. That sounds comforting. Do you mind telling me how old your mindees are and how they find the shared care? My dd will be 18 months when this starts, so I'm wondering how she might find moving to a new childminder in January, whilst continuing at nursery for three days a week. Thanks very much!

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

wtote a long helpful post and internet went down as had huge lightening and electricty went and i lost it!!!

grrr

basically as the nursery is so good stick with that, but try and find a cm or nanny for 2 other days

if you are thinking about having another child soon(ish) then a nanny would prob be better as then can have both, plus will cost you less

as your dd is used to being with you/in own home for 2 days then may be better to get a nanny (tho more exspensive) then your dd isnt out of the house for 5 days

get a list of local cms and then go and see a few as well as look at ads on netmums/nj and gumtree and also place your own and see what response you get

least you have time

I find the comment really weird that CMs won't share care with nurseries? Are they all full up with FT kids then? I can understand it if you get an offer of a child FT but otherwise why would you care? 2 days is better than no days. It's no worse for the child than say having 2 days with mum, 2 days with cm and one day with grandma!

Definitely put your name down for more days at nursery - you might get at least one extra day and then be able to fudge the last day - even if you ring up on the day and they can take your child because someone is ill or on hols. Not that I would want to rely on that but it's an option.