South Edinburgh After School Care

[edinburger]

Hello

My son starts school in August and I am having no luck with the school's after school club (despite having put his name down over a year ago he is still on waiting list and I have phoned to try and find out what is happening and am getting no where).

The list the council provided only has this school club and three childminders who are all full.

I am a single parent who works full time with no one to help so I really need to sort something out (I foolishly assumed the school after school care was an option so haven't made other arrangements).

Please, please can anyone suggest anything?

Thanks a lot

Dunno! I feel your pain, though. Dd starts school in August. I work fridays and that's her half day. There's no after school club and I can't find a childminder. I just put an ad on Gumtree and if that fails am pinning hopes on finding another mum in a similar situation who doesn't work fridays to do some reciprocal childcare.

Can you put an add uo on gumtree?

Put a notice up in the childcare area of the local college? Students?

My husband and I are seriously considering becoming childminders and are just about to move to south west so if you give me your email and we decide to try and do it I can let you know?

Which school will your child be going to? I know a few childminders in my area who might well have an after school spot but if they are miles from the school they will be no use.

Dd is going to preston st primary, HLaurens if you know anyone who picks up from there.

Thank you for your responses. I really hoped to get him into a club, as I worry about relying on one person like a childminder or student as if they are ill then I have no backup!

Plus I hope to be able to get some working tax credits towards the cost and I think they need to be registered with child care commission for that - perhaps child minders are?

DS is going to Sciennes and I was given a few childminders in that area but was the same as the after school club - no hope!

We are moving soon and will be in the Gillespie's catchment and apparently their after school club does not have a waiting list so may be a better bet?

Am finding the whole thing far to stressful (esp given am in the middle of trying to sell/buy house/flat!) GAhhhhhhhhh

Sorry, different part of south edinburgh! I know childminders around Bruntsfield ps and Craiglockart

Edinburgher - childminders are registered with care commission and we pay our's with childcare vouchers. Understand your reluctance to become reliant on one person but can honestly say that our CM hasn't been off sick in the 4.5yrs we've used her and as far as I can tell good ones are very reliable.

I think you're right that CM's in Sciennes catchment are full though as that's where our's is and she gets asked for spaces all the time. If you haven't already done so you can ask the care commission for a list of CM's in your area.

The after school club for Gillespies is at Barclay Church (I think) so they walk the kids there after school. I might be wrong on this but I'm sure I've seen them walking kids from the Sciennes end too so maybe it's worth asking if they pick up from there too?

Thanks v much will try that one then!

My son went to Little Foxes, run by Sheila Fox, but it has a different name now, I think.

It was fantastic! My son went to Gillespie's Primary and they used to collect him and walk him to Barclay Church.

They were totally reliable, they took him on trips in the holidays, they did really fun and imaginative things and they made full use of the space in the Meadows.

Can't praise them highly enough.

I'm sure someone would give you their number if you ring Gillespies Primary School.

They are called skoolisout now, and have a website.

Hello ,

I read you know childminder around Bruntsfield ps ., could you please let me know how I can get in touch as I am desperately looking for one for my wee one who will start p1 this august .. thanks

Unfortunately this is a massive problem in a lot of areas of Edinburgh, the school clubs are often small and not very upfront about lack of places; DH is a CM (we also run ASCs but I'm not naming them cos I'm not touting!) and every year we get a flurry of people contacting us in August having suddenly realising that although they registered for the school clubs (often when registering for school, especially if it's their first kid) the don't actually have a place. It's especially bad with the clubs that shut over summer.

Every year there's a few people who don't find out until the first day of term!

Oscars run 16 after school clubs so worth checking if one of them are near you. I have once had a childminder refer me to another childminder as they were full. It's my understanding that cms often have Facebook groups so they can communicate with each other, post about someone needing childcare.