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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

ahhhhh need advice

22 replies

notanidea · 21/12/2009 10:27

Nanny has called and cant come as there is snow.I am at end of my wits.She just had a week off and I had to go to great lengths covering those days off.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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navyeyelasH · 21/12/2009 10:52

How regularly does she not make it into work? My DP is a work-a-holic and couldn't get into work today.

Lifeinagoldfishbowl · 21/12/2009 10:57

what do you need advice about - if she cant get in she can't get in?

Daisydaydreamer · 21/12/2009 11:23

LOL what do you expect her to do grow wings and fly to your home, ffs have you not seen the news.

Original poster

notanidea · 21/12/2009 11:33

My OP clearly says that she has been off work for a week although I understand she cant make it today I can go through as I will be loosing my job If I cant go to work regularly. I dont use unnecessary language and Daisy day dreamer there was no need for that. I need adv as to what to do in future? She has already had 6 .5 weeks annual leave plus sick leave and there has been days before with car not starting, snow etc., etc.,
I consider myself a very reasonable employer and clearly if my job is in danger I am not having it.She knows that I work from home today. I have always said that she is a good nanny and is very good with the children.

OP posts:

nannynick · 21/12/2009 12:02

Nanny has just had a week off - that may have been pre-arranged holiday.

Nannies like any other humans do not have magical Mary Poppins style flying abilities. So snow and ice on the roads can cause trouble. However most nannies in my view are very dedicated to their job and will try to get to work by whatever methods are available - including walking a few miles.

If the nanny has any annual leave left, then the day can be allocated as that. If not, then it's unpaid unauthorised leave. Make nanny aware that they don't have any leave left and thus they won't be paid. That may motivate them to make more of an effort tomorrow... getting up earlier and walking perhaps.

I'm not working this week, quite glad not to have my 8 mile journey in the morning in this weather. If I had been working, I would have left home a lot earlier than usual and driven very slowly over the icy patches to get to work. Would need to be very bad for me to abandon the journey.

"she knows that I work from home today" - maybe that has made her less inclined to get in. Wrong attitude if that is the case, as you still need to work.

FabIsGettingReadyForXmas · 21/12/2009 12:52

What do you need advice about? How to handle it, what to say to her, what to do if it happens again?

Original poster

notanidea · 21/12/2009 13:10

Exactly nanny nick.I have something which I need t submit before christmas. She called last night asking what time I need her as she was going to bed early I normally text her for monday as I am at home giving her a bit of a late start as I will do the school run. I dont know how to handle this. Is it too mean to tell her that it is unpaid leave. I understand that nannies dont fly so do I. I have always come here to ask for adv from the day I decided on nanny as mean of childcare.I just wanted to know what others will do genuinely.I dont usually put a price on what she does as she looks after my loved ones,dont keep a record of how many hours, gave her a decent bonus, paid her early last week so she could have a nice time during christmas.I would not even bring all these things up but I have started having doubts whether I have be used.

OP posts:

Daisydaydreamer · 21/12/2009 13:17

Can you not use emergency childcare there are many advertised on the internet who can sort someone out within 30 minutes.

I know you would probably like someone who knows the children, was she off work last week ill? again this is unavoidable people can't help getting ill.

I understand you are worried about loosing your job your employer should be more understandable knowing you have young children.

You should maybe have backup care in place if this should happen again.

Original poster

notanidea · 21/12/2009 13:38

DDD What is this emergency childcare- never heard of it I dont live in London so may be our choices are restricted.

OP posts:

navyeyelasH · 21/12/2009 13:57

not an idea if she i unreliable then you should pu her up on it - of course it is not unfair to say it's unpaid leave.

If however she had last week off as holiday and genuinely can't get in today then sorry but that's part and parcel of being an employer - you need a contingency plan and that is on your shoulders to sort out.

Could you ask family nearby?

What about another local nanny that may be able to do ad-hoc work? Or a childminder? Or an emergency nanny company. Where do you live?

Daisydaydreamer · 21/12/2009 14:11

Not sure if this link will work www.emergencychildcare.co.uk/how-it-works/how-emergencychildcare-works.html

nannynick · 21/12/2009 14:53

If your nanny can't get in, then it's possible that an agency nanny can't get in either. So not much point paying the high price for a agency nanny.

How far is your nanny travelling to work? I feel your nanny has a responsibility to get to work, even in bad weather. If it really is impossible then they tell you as soon as they know and I feel they need to accept that they may not get paid.

Are they able to make up some hours later?

Original poster

notanidea · 21/12/2009 15:38

No she didnot offer that.I would have been happy even if she had come in for few hours.She said she has an appointment ( I had agreed that she will go earlier today) and if she comes to work cant get to the appointment. But how can she go to the appointment if she cant come to work. She lives around 20 minutes away.

OP posts:

nannynick · 21/12/2009 15:51

Appointment for what I wonder. You can't really ask, though why appointment has to be during her working time I'm not sure. So after the appointment, then she was coming to work?

Is she planning to come to work tomorrow?

Maybe today could be taken as a sick day.

Blondeshavemorefun · 21/12/2009 16:14

some of my friends have been snowed in and cant get to work

did your nanny have a week off as ill or planned holiday?

has she no nanny friends who cover?

where in the country are you?

Original poster

notanidea · 21/12/2009 18:11

no nanny friends.It wasa planned hosp appointment(I knew it and had planned my day so I can work from home, infact woke up at 5.30 so I could get my work done for today so she can go to the appointment, DH works away so it is not thant I can do anything in the evening if he is back). The week she was off she was meant to take 2 but this was prolonged to a week but things were sorted as her health is more important but I cant put my job in danger the only thing is to consider childminder. She has text me telling she will in work tomorrow.I will have to look into this if this recurrs again.
I dont have any family nearby to ask either.
She does go to toddler group etc., maybe I will ask her to introduce me to her friends so I have access to them when she is not there.

OP posts:

SleighGirl · 21/12/2009 18:20

if the forecast is bad all week can you offer her to stay overnight to avoid her not being able to get in again?

K75 · 21/12/2009 18:59

Sounds like most of the accomodation is on your side. Last time we had snow I sent a car to pick up my nanny and offered her accomodation. Worked fine. Yes, an additional outlay but better than loosing your job.

You should make it clear as Nick has said that this is unpaid leave, even if you choose to "let her off". Might redress the balance.

I hate to say it but she may well think that as you are at home you don't have too much to do. Fortunately, my nanny doesn't think like that if I have a day working from home but some do.

K75 · 21/12/2009 18:59

p.s. Send car tonight and get her to stay over; this is what we did.

Original poster

notanidea · 21/12/2009 20:26

Thanks for all the suggestion and I will see what will happen tomorrow I will make it very clear that if this happens we will consider different for of childcare.

OP posts:

narna · 22/12/2009 18:47

In my first nanny job the father of my charges once drove to get me as the weather was very bad and as i had just started driving i wasnt confident or experienced at driving in the snow.
I know its a hassle but would this be an option for you?

Original poster

notanidea · 22/12/2009 19:35

My DH works away but anyway she is back today.I didnot ask for unpaid leave or anything.Both DC were having good time (lots of giggling,painting,dancing) and I think I have calmed as gone is gone.Apparently she did try a lot. As I have always said she is a very good nanny and I do appreciate what she does. Thanks for everyone.

OP posts:

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