How would I go about / could I do this?

[Lifeinagoldfishbowl]

I am a nanny, in October I will be out of work for 6 months - due to employers change of circumstance although I could/might come back at the end of the 6 months.

In preparation of this I have been discussing with others parents (who I socialise with at activitity groups) to see if I could be employed by these people for those 6 months.

My current train of thought is that I could probably get enough work to work 3/4 days a week but with different families - so not Tuesday is family A - but Tuesday is whoever books me first - I have about 8 families interested on an adhoc basis - I work in a forces area where 70% of families will have a deploying parent.

If I became self employed for these 6 months and worked on the above basis - would I be able to be paid by childcare vouchers - am ofsted registered - or would I have to be employed to have childcare vouchers.

How do I become self employed?

Or is this a rubbish idea??

Don't know anything about how nannying works, but I do know people who are employed and also work s/emplyed as well.

So if you are not employed at the moment you could get in touch with HMRC and reg as s/emp then de reg if you want in 6 months presuming you go back to this family.

For your 6 months of s/emp you will have to submit a self assesment tax return and pay any tax, NI due for that period.

I am employed full time as a nanny at the moment so my boss pays all my tx/NI - will look on the HMRC website

Does not matter to the voucher company if you are Employee of Self Employed.
HMRC are another matter, no set rules regarding if you would be SE or not. It may be that some families using you say the same day each week would be your Employers, whereas those who use once every few months may you could be SE.

Childcare vouchers often have a 12 month minimum term for the parents using them, so they would need to switch to another childcare provider after the 6 months, or be using them prior to you taking their voucher.

Ofsted may be an issue - where would they inspect you?
You would need to notify them of all parents details whom are part paying by vouchers I think.

How come you will be out of work for six months? Do you have other work lined up in six months time, or are you going back to the same family after a 6 months break?

Will they pay a retainer to keep you?
Why not look for another permanent full time position from October?

I could look for a new full time position but boss has asked if I'd come back - it would be the same position doing the same job/hours/day etc no changes only that the child would be going to school nursery 5 mornings as opposed to day nursery 3 mornings.

I love my job and would like to come back there are not many positions in this area anyway. I am very happy in this job just a shame there will be a 6 month interim.

Good thinking about the ofsted thing - forgot I'd have to inform them as only recently on their books as such

Might just go for money as opposed to childcare vouchers just thought I'd be able to "sell" myself to the other parents under this scheme.

They are making you redundant, so is going back really all that likely?

No not being made redundant - don't want to say to much as will out myself but the position is not changing and they will only look for some one else for the job if I decide not to take it up again in the spring but just will not be there for a 6 month period.

They want me back and with a payrise for the same job no changes to contract etc just child will have progressed to school nursery as will have a birthday during the 6 month interim.

IME you can perfectly well be SE working that kind of arrangement - I used to do it and had written confirmation (in triplicate) that I could.

The vouchers thing I have no idea but it might be a PITA on the admin side. Not necessarily your problem so I'd remain open to the idea!