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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

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Original poster

Did you keep your nanny throughout maternity leave with DC2

45 replies

Gangle · 14/08/2009 14:22

We have a nanny share for DS, 17 months, and I am 8 weeks pregnant with DC2. Trying to work out what we will do when I go on maternity leave. Do most people keep their nannies on over this time to avoid having to find someone new? Our requirements will obviously be different in that we would have 2 children so would have to pay 2/3 of the cost rather than 1/2 as we currently do. Not sure it's worth the cost of keeping someone on for 6 or 9 months when you don't really need them (or if we can even afford this!).

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weaselbudge · 14/08/2009 14:50

If your nanny is really good then i would hang on to her if possible! I don't have a nanny myself but my boss kept her nanny throughout her maternity leave for DC2 and said it was invaluable as DC2 was quite sickly and she didn't know how she would have coped without someone else to look after DC1. I guess you also need to factor in the fees of a nanny agency if you have to recruit again. Not an issue if the nanny doesn't want to eventually look after 3 children.

MrsBadger · 14/08/2009 15:11

Nb remember if you get childcare vouchers from work they are still obliged to give them to you during matleave even if they are only paying you stat.

Blondeshavemorefun · 14/08/2009 18:12

yes keep her on if you are def going back to work

i think it is cheeky to get rid of her on your ml then expect her to come back 3/6mths later

i actually have in my contract that i will be kept on while mb on ml - ive seen too many friends get booted out

obv i do reliese it is a huge expense when 1/2 of the familys income is halved

a good nanny is worth her weight in gold and cash and she can have baby while you can spend some 121 time with ds

as well as ds routine wont get chnaged and he can still go out with nanny to M&T, swim, see friends etc

Imababysitter · 14/08/2009 18:17

Yes keep her on as continuity for your child is good. However during your maternity leave I don't see why you will pay for 2/3 of your nanny as surely you will have newborn so she's only requires for your DS? WHen you go back to work then yes she will have your 2 children and 1 other so fair for you to pay 2/3 and the other family 1/3 but I think during ML you should still pay 50/50

HarrietTheSpy · 14/08/2009 18:50

Oh my gosh, I would never agree in advance to keep a nanny on during my maternity leave! However, I wouldn't expect them to get a temp job in the meantime either and commit to coming back to us.

I really look forward to the opp to look after my kids myself and have time on my own with them, I wouldn't want someone else around, certainly not for the 50 hours a week that we have to arrange childcare for when I am working. But I can see why people do for continuity. To be honest though if you're having quite a lot of time off,like a year, that's not such a valid argument. YOu're kids will adjust to another carer and you will have plenty of time to find someone else.

Esp if your childcare requirements are going to change after two kids (shares get trickier), think very carefully about whether it's worth it.

1dilemma · 14/08/2009 23:17

I wouldn't have thought having that kind of clause in the contract would be worth much TBH (but I'm no lawyer) surely you can still be made redundant? (which I'm guessing is what happens to most nannies who don't stay in their job)

To answer OP IMHE (which is friends etc) most people don't keep their nannies on or therefore expect to have them back but that's if they are taking a reasonably long period of maternity leave

madusa · 15/08/2009 11:00

as a nanny I have twice been kept on while the mum was on maternity leave.

It means that mum can get some much needed rest or spend quality 121 time with each of the children

Original poster

Gangle · 19/10/2009 22:18

Just picking this up again as going on 18 weeks pregnant and still not sure what to do! I will probably take 6 or 9 months off so seems a lot to pay (we currently pay half her salary which is £1,400 per month just for our share)- not sure how we feel afford this when I am not working. I also do want time alone with both DC. The extra help would be lovely but if I need a break then I can always arrange for DS1 to have a few mornings at nursery or other drop in. I totally don't expect her to hang around and wait for me to go back to work - would just have to say we really value her and if she is free when I go back we would love to use her again. Is this reasonable and how much notice should I give her?

OP posts:

Greatfun · 19/10/2009 22:31

I don't use a nanny but that sounds reasonable to me. Re: notice wouldnt that be in her contract? If it were me I would tell her once you are happy to announce your pregnancy. Presumable this will affect the people you nanny share with as well so perhaps they will just look for a family to replace you but keep the same person.

nannynick · 19/10/2009 22:44

You are in effect making them redundant, so notice would be as per the contract - probably something like 4 weeks (how much notice would she have to give you to leave?). Then if your nanny has worked for you for 2 years or more, then you need to calculate redundancy pay - see BusinessLink: Redundancy which also has a calculator function to calculate redundancy pay, if needed.

What happens about the share family? What is your agreement with them with regard to how much notice you will give them with regard to you wanting to leave the share arrangement (which is what you would be doing)?

Original poster

Gangle · 19/10/2009 23:00

Her contractual notice is only 1 week but I would want to give as much notice as possible to her and the other family. Length of service is less than 2 years so no redundancy pay, only have 1 nanny so no need to consult/follow a formal process I believe. NannyNick, the other family and I never discussed this, let alone contracted for this, so is really down to negotiation.

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nannynick · 19/10/2009 23:30

Sounds like it's something you need to discuss with the other family... then once you have agreed on a course of action... notify the nanny that you are making them redundant with x weeks notice and be clear if you require them to work during that notice period, or not.
The nanny may decide to leave the share completely... thus why you need to discuss this with the other family - maybe they could offer to pay the nanny more, as they would become sole employer.

xoxcherylxox · 20/10/2009 08:05

HarrietTheSpy Fri 14-Aug-09 18:50:19 Add a message | Report post | Contact poster

Oh my gosh, I would never agree in advance to keep a nanny on during my maternity leave! However, I wouldn't expect them to get a temp job in the meantime either and commit to coming back to us.

do you mean that you wouldnt pay her but then expect her to return to you due to commitment to you and shes not to get a temp job either so how is she to live for the 6 to 9 months that you would be off.

if its nanny share and you are considering keeping her on but unsure about having her about the house when your home with baby could she not look after the you child in the other childs house instead of yours

Original poster

Gangle · 20/10/2009 10:54

Of course we wouldn't expect her to get a temp job then come back to us. Where did you get that idea from?? Just trying to get a feel as to whether people generally make the committment to pay their nannies throughtout maternity leave given the cost of this at a time when most are living on one salary. Is it the market norm to do so or not as I would question how most people afford this. Paying £1,400 a month is ok when working but not when not working.

OP posts:

frakula · 20/10/2009 13:11

It's actually quite a common expectation employers have that nanny will go and temp during ML. Not a good one, however!

I think Harriet meant she wouldn't keep nanny on but equally wouldn't expect nanny to temp and return, in effect letting her go altogether.

If people want to keep the nanny then they do make the commitment to keep them on. If they're not fussed/want a change then they use ML as a way to bring that nanny to a natural end.

My mother kept the nanny on throughout both maternity leaves after me and I'm just old enough to remember appreciating that and being worried that my beloved nanny would leave because she didn't like my new brother/sister!

Original poster

Gangle · 20/10/2009 14:15

Frakula, been mulling it over a bit more and was thinking of perhaps offering to pay her 25% of her salary for 6 months whilst I am on mat leave as a kind of retainer (and not using her) subject to her agreeing to come back to us in 6 months when I go back to work. Do you think it's a good idea to propose that or a bit insulting? The other mum actually suggested it - they are trying for another baby asap and would like to continue the arrangement. I would be happy to confirm to the nanny that when i go back to work I would keep her on full time at the same salary regardless of what the other family do so that she has additional security this way. Not sure any of thsi is legally enforceable - all really comes down to people honouring their committment. Thoughts?

OP posts:

xoxcherylxox · 20/10/2009 14:22

i think thats sounds quite good as just now you say you pay 50% and so does the other parent so therefore the nanny is only losing out on 25% so still has 75% plus her workload is less for a couple of months

Original poster

Gangle · 20/10/2009 14:27

Meant 25% of our half (50%)!

OP posts:

Original poster

Gangle · 20/10/2009 14:33

So she is only getting about 62% of her usual salary!

OP posts:

frakula · 20/10/2009 15:04

Would your nanny be able to survive on 62% of her usual salary and would that still be above min wage?

Would nanny share work with 4 children of similar ages and what happens if you're both on ML at the same time? You've effectively agreed for nanny to survive on 25% of her original salary which for most people isn't viable.

Nanny's don't usually get retainers. They're employed, they're available to work and they get paid. If it was a CM it would be very different I don't think I know a nanny whose had a retainer whilst employer is on ML. I think you need to talk to the other parents in the share again and see whether they're happy to pay full throughout your ML if you're happy to pay full for 6 months of theirs. But that's subject to the nanny share continuing to work with 4 children!

gladders · 21/10/2009 11:56

personally i bit the bullet and kept nanny on for my maternity leave. meant ds got some continuity in his life (kept up with his friends, playgroups etc) and i got some time with my new baby. also meant when baby was bigger that i could take ds swimming/to the park etc by myself.

worked really well but was financially hard - took me a couple of years to get finances straight afterwards.

if i had to make the same choice again, i would do the same thing. no question in my mind - got us off to a great start as a family of 4.

think the retainer idea is very ropy. why should she accept sucha big paycut when there is no cut in hours? would be surprised if she would acccept - personally would not suggest it.

Original poster

Gangle · 21/10/2009 16:39

thanks Gladders. That makes it a bit easier as we definitely can't afford to pay our full share of her salary (£1,400 per month) whilst I'm not working. Most we could afford would be 50% of that but even then that's a stretch and a luxury really. How do people afford it? We have savings but not sure I would want to use it for this which is really a luxury. I was going to suggest it to her because I thought she may want to consider it as the salary would only be reduced for 7 months (intend to keep her on anyway for first 2 months after I give birth as i receive full salary for that time and want DS to have continuity etc over the birth) plus she has a guaranteed job with us either without or without the other family when I go back to work. Don't want to suggest it to her though if the offer is insulting, maybe it is!

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LittleOneMum · 21/10/2009 16:45

I'm going to keep my nanny on (am 11 weeks pg) but I can afford it. I think the best thing is to talk to her. Be honest. Tell her you will struggle financially. Ask what she thinks. Communication is best.

Original poster

Gangle · 21/10/2009 17:03

LittleOneMum - do you mind me asking how long you are taking and how much she costs?

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K75 · 23/10/2009 21:07

Kept mine on part-time; she offered as she knew I wanted some help but not full time. Has been a luxury but has really helped and made the whole thing a joy and not stressful. Yes, it's a chunk of change out of savings but agencies fees are very large (equivalent of about 6-8 weeks pay) and continuity of a good nanny a huge benefit. Also, helps maintain things like swimming, v hard to do on your own with toddler and new born and maintain friendships. Good luck with whatever you decide.

p.s. I thought I could live with out and would have done if not offered p-t; so glad she did!

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