After school nanny

[Mariep25]

I am looking for advise on how to find an excellent after school nanny... I work full time but can take my son to school in the morning. I need a great nanny that is dynamic, energetic and really engaged in my 7 year old son's development. I have thought that perhaps a Teacher Assistant may be interested in working in the after school hours and during school holidays... any advice on how to find a suitable after school nanny would be highly appretiated

I'm not sure TAs are likely to be able to do it - they will only be a small number at your son's school (other TAs wouldn't generally be able to get to another school) and they don't always finish at the end of school.

We have used 2 - one was a nursery nurse at my daughter's nursery who left around the same time as my daughter did - she went to do a teaching degree at a local university so could help us on the (2) days that she was not at university. The other nanny we've used is the mother of a neighbour (in her 60s), she does her own thing in the day but is so lovely and just plays games with the children etc.

Its always been word of mouth, other people knowing that we're on the look out for a nanny and word getting round. I'm not sure an after school nanny is likely to be "really engaged" in your sons development, its really (in my view) about the children being cared for in their own home, making life easier for the family, just generally looking after them.

P.S. the other thing I should have said is that there are a number of local agencies that will search for you too, but you pay a fee (usually a percentage of the annual salary). Also, just be aware that they're like gld dust because most working parents would love this kind of child care. Its also difficult to find someone who isn't likely to move on if another family come along offering more hours / a full time nanny position - that's why ideally you need someone who is tacking on an after school position to something else.