Nurseries and flexible working

[honeyharris]

I'm just looking at the possibilities for going back to work next year. One option is asking to go back to work 0.5 FTE, and requesting to work a pattern of 3 days one week and 2 days the next (I live in Stirling and work in Perth so it's not worth going in for half a day, and the guy who is covering my maternity leave is likely to be up for this I think). Does anyone know whether any nurseries are likely to accommodate this pattern, or would they charge for 3 days each week? Thanks x

Most nurseries I know of would charge you for 3 days a week. They would not be able to use the 3rd day on alternate weeks, so it seems entirely reasonable for them to charge you for it.

We would charge for 3 days a week.
The only other option is to book the 2 days and then hope the nursery has space to book an extra day every fortnight. You do risk not being able to go to work because you have no childcare though if the nursery is full.

Just do three days nursery a week and give yourself a day a fortnight for you - docs/dentist/hair appointments etc.

That would be bliss ThinkIveBeenHacked! If only I could afford to :-(

You could look around for a childminder. My friend has managed to find a CM that she only pays for 3 days one week and 2 days the next. She may have just been lucky as there is another parent at the child minders who does the same so between them all they agreed to do opposite weeks.
Most places I suspect will charge you for 3 days a week as they won't find a child to come one day a fortnight. Would it be possible to go back 3 days a week? Or pay for 2 days a week nursery and find someone else to help once a fortnight?

My nursery would do it - they're really flexible about stuff like that. But I know plenty that definitely wouldn't, so aak around.

I should probably go back 3 days a week as we need the money, but don't really want to, so the 3 and 2 was my idea of a compromise. We're thinking of asking my sister in law to do the one day a fortnight and would pay her nursery rates. We've also thought of childminders and am thinking of asking at the groups we attend if anyone has a recommendation.

I think most would charge. Personally I would just go back 3 days each week to make it easier

Have you considered a live in nanny if space? Someone who maybe is studying also so doesn't want full time may be able to do that. And you just pay set amount each week regardless. So full time live in London is £450-500 a week. So someone doing half, plus maybe one eve babysit would be approx £225/50 a week. Adjust according to your area.

I asked for this but nursery said no. I ended up booking 3 days a week and having a day a fortnight to myself which was bliss and kept me sane.

For a while I used a nursery next to a hospital - they required 2 days a week regular booking but after that were super-flexible about accommodating extra days/sessions. Is there anywhere like that near you with lots of shift workers?

There is one near a hospital I think - it's only a small hospital with a few units there as most of it has moved to a large new hospital, but I could try there. Thanks for the suggestion, will give them a call.

My nursery agreed to this but they did say if they need the full time place the arrangement couldn't continue. If you pick a Monday or Friday as your alternate day, these tend to be quieter days and so more likely to be able to offer you ad hoc days?