What childcare do you think is appropriate for 11yrs upwards?

[itsmeolord]

Hi,
have used a childminder since dd was 5 months old. She is now nine.

I am doing a wee bit of financial blue skying planning and one of the things I am struggling with is what childcare we would need or would be able to access once dd goes to secondary education.
I and my partner both work full time. Both of us are generally out of the house from 8am to 6pm.
My childminder is unwilling to have a child from 11 yrs, she hasn't said why and i wondered if this was a normal thing amongst childminders?
I am not happy to leave an 11-13/14 ish child unsupervised for all that time during school holidays so I would welcome any suggestions please.

Term times will be fine as dd will have to travel to whichever secondary school she ges into and would be leving the house around the same time as us, evenings she would be returning about 5 ish, later if going to an after school club.

are there any holiday clubs near you?

I used to work at a playscheme and we took children up to 12 (up til their 13th birthday) and we ran every school holiday from 8am to 6pm

Yes I was thinking of holiday clubs but looking at it the only one near by is the one that i refused to send dd to because it is so awful.

Would an au pair be suitable do you think? If so, do they always live in?

Not all childminders are unwilling to look after older children. Have you thought of looking at another childminder?

Sorry I can't answer the question about an au pair

It sounds like your cm doesn't like older children or have them around.

I would start looking now tbh so it isn't a new school and new care all at the same time.

instead of an au pair how about a college student?

11/12 is a really hard age. They are too young to be on their own for a whole day, but too old to be babysat by au pairs and childminders.

Can you send her to a residential holiday camp?

Aren't there any hideously expensive holiday camps around you? Also any relatives to have her?

You could look at getting a holiday nanny/au pair. There are people who do this (though would be harder to find for half term weeks than longer holidays obviously). Maybe advertising at a local college/uni where they teach childcare/teaching for a student to help out? You might even find one in 1st yr when dd is 11 who could be fairly consistent for her?

Or, like others have said, try other local childminders.

I have childminded older children, but they really don't think it's 'cool' to go to a childminder. Also when all their friends meet up at the park, I didn't feel I could just let them wonder off.

We've used a holiday nanny in the past (for younger children but I think it would work for older ones too) - we found a trainee teacher via gumtree who worked as a nanny for us in school hols (until she graduated )
Our current au pair used to live/work with a family who had children of 11 and 13. The relationship with the children was very different to the one she has with ours - more of a responsible peer, but she really enjoyed it. But yes, au pairs need to live in - part of the deal is that they get the cultural experience of living with the family.

I would either try another cm or is there a neighbour who would be happy to be around when the children are home, i'm quite happy for my 2 dd's now 12 and 14 to let themselves in if i'm not home, they usually text me to say theyre home, but they know that they can go to several neighbours if they want but we live in a village where we all know each other not sure I would feel the same if I lived in a town.As a cm myself i'm happy to have older children but have never been asked as most high school children wouldn't want to come, if your children are happy to go home alone then if you can be on the end of a phone if needed perhaps it will work for you.

Sorry just reread your post I see your mainly worried about hols, in which case I would try the local leisure centre or definately try another childminder.

DD is 12 now (just about to start Year 8 at school) and we've managed this summer by doing swaps with her friends... a week at a summer camp... Grandma helped for a few days... and we left her on her own.

Mine wouldn't go to a holiday club and would probably club me if I suggested an au pair or someone babysitting her...

Have you got a circle of people you might be able to team up with and help each other...?

a friend of mine uses an after-school club for her children they are now almost 12yrs and almost 10yrs, she has done this for past 4yrs and I used to do some ad-hoc nanny work for her if she had to work late collecting them from clib at 5.30/6 til she got home anytime after 7pm really. She is considering at the moment letting the 12yr old bring himself home from school as it will only be an hr and half.

In the school hols she uses the after care club as its all day, some activity centres (rock climbing and the like) and she takes annual leave for 2wks in the summer as well and also grandparents come to stay for a week or two during the year which is always in the school holidays.

I knew you lot would sort me out!

So I have some really good ideas now. I think I will probably go for the combination approach then. Two weeks off with me (and partner so that we can all go somewhere etc), a week with each set of grandparents and a couple of weeks with a holiday camp type thing.

Many thanks all.