How much would you pay students offering childcare help?

[dontrunwithscissors]

I've noticed quite a few adverts on Gumtree from students looking for childcare work over the Easter/Summer holidays. Many of them are doing child-related degrees (esp. teaching), and generally seem to already have some experience with children. I'd be looking for them to help care for DD2 whilst I catch up on work (she will be around 4/5 months). I'd always be on hand for feeding, changing nappies (working upstairs with the door open). They would never be left alone with her. I just need someone who can entertain DD and give me some breathing space. Has anybody experience of using this type of help and - most importantly - what level of pay would I be looking at? (I'm in NE Scotland, if that makes any difference.)

I did it when I was a student - although was back in the late-90s! I was paid £90 a week to look after a primary school child 5 days a week, 8-4 I think I did. Her parents used to leave me a tenner a day for entertaining her.

You could email some of the people advertising and ask them what they are thinking of charging per hour?

I'm currently a student living in London and I normally get paid £7-10 an hour for babysitting/nannying, which worked out in my previous job as £65 a day for a 9-6 day (although for much of that time both the girls were at school!). However, I thought that was generous, & I would have been prepared to work for less.

Given that you will be around all the time, and presumably while DD2 is napping your employee would be able to work, as well as the fact that for people doing child-related degrees it would be good experience, I would suggest offering between £4-7 an hour. If I lived somewhere where my living costs were less than they are in London, I would be happy to work for that!

i had someone similar in summer 08 to help with the DDs while i worked. i paid her £7/hour (2 children aged 3 and 4.5). sometimes my friend would drop her daughter over too (age 4) and then we'd pay her £10/hour.
she was fab.
i'd like a clone of her every school holiday for that extra bit of help whilst i work from home.

Are we talking net or gross here? I'm assuming it's live out so you need at least min wage and probably about a pound over that to make it more attractive than supermarket/bar work!

I got £250net a week for 5 days, 8 hours a day the first summer I did it, in the end I was getting nearly £10per hour gross. I would ask them what they expect and check out nannyjob for jobs near you and what they're paying. As you have a little one you can probably expect to pay a premium
for someone with newborn experience BUT if you're prepared to have someone without then they'll work for less to get it.

Even though students will probably be using their tax free allowance on you you should still quote gross in case they have another job or work termtimes.

We employed a student for £8 gross per hour for school holiday cover. We asked her how much she wanted, she named a reasonable amount, we added a bit to it and everyone was happy.

I think minimum wage is acceptable for students helping out over the summer as it would be a mothers help role as you would be around.

Thanks everyone. I'm talking gross wage, and live out. I really just need someone a couple of afternoons a week for a few hours. I think there are plenty of students around wanting that type of work - there are lots of students at my local Uni who live with their parents in the surrounding area. Jobs are very hard to come around here.

I'm paying £7 p.h. to an 18 yr old who is starting studying nursing next year, working as a mothers help p.t.

That is tax/NI free, as earning less than £90ish a week. So try to choose someone who doesn't have another job. (or who has so many different babysitting jobs that they are self employed!)

I think the mnet consensus was that I am overpaying a bit considering her age, but I only need short hours (between 2 and 4 hours at a time) and I wanted it to be worth her time in travel time, bus fare etc... I would have offered £6.50 if she lives just round the corner.