Emergency childcare (nannies) in London

[MillionPramMiles]

Hi, has anyone used emergency nannies in London? We?ve usually taken annual or unpaid leave whenever our 13 month old is sick and can?t go to nursery but given how frequent random incidences of vomiting/diarrhoea/high temperature can be (and OFSTED requires 48 hours off nursery), it?s becoming difficult to do it every time.

I?d be really grateful if anyone can recommend an agency they?ve used. I don?t relish the thought of leaving dd with a complete stranger but neither can we afford to lose our jobs....thanks in advance.

Will nannies look after a sick child? I would have presumed not. Maybe try sitters.co.uk? Believe me I understand, I ran out of AL halfway through the year because of DD's illnesses her first winter in nursery. We have had to do creative things such as getting family over from France (!) to babysit, and me working on days I wasn't scheduled to, to make up the time.

I also became more laidback with time so if they called at say 2 or 3pm saying DD was unwell, I often picked her up normal time anyway. After all it's not as though you can run out of your workplace without handing over and it takes me at least an hour to tie up loose ends if I know I won't be returning to work for 48 hours.

Had a dig about online, apparently it is possible to book nannies to look after sick children that have viomiting, diarrhoea etc but not for infectious stages of chicken pox or the like.

I wouldn't use them for when dd is really ill, I was thinking more of the times when dd isn't actually ill but can't go to nursery because of the OFSTED rule about not coming to nursery 48 hours after v/d. We've just had two days at home with a perfectly healthy baby who probably just threw up cause she ate too much tea at nursery!

We use emergencychildcare.co.uk - have found them very good. You have to pay to register, and then they're not cheap, but they will get someone to you within 2 hours and sometimes faster.

Thanks DAETC: Other than info on meals, naps, where everything is etc, is there any other info they need in your experience?
Have you used them for a child as young as 13 months (I'm a bit worried about leaving a non verbal child with a stranger who then has to guess what they might need...). Thanks for your help.

Most agencies deal with one-offs due to sickness I think. If you are in South-ish London, Abbeville Nannies definitely covers sick children off school or nursery - I've had a few jobs from them.

Leave the child's routine clearly written, including when she has bottles and how much and make sure the nanny can find what she might need - food and drinks for herself as well as your daughter; spare clothes; nappies and changing stuff; bath things in case of vomiting; medicine; phone numbers; money if she is going to need to buy anything (children usually get sick the day you have no food in the cupboard and you are down to your last 2 nappies!). Also if it's cold, she might need to know how to over-ride the thermostat if it set for people who are out all day. If it is likely to be several days - chicken pox or such, the password to the wifi might be welcome! (I don't really watch tv, and a sick child can sleep most of the day).

Emergencychildcare take a lot of info when you register. I left DS with one of their nannies at about 10 months - he was ill, DH was ill and I couldn't take a day off without letting a lot of people down. She just wanted to know where everything was kept when she arrived and got on with it. All seemed fine!

I've not used them myself but had Likeminders recommended to me.

What about a childminder instead of nursery - they are much more reasonable when it comes to illness.

Thanks all. We're registered with emergencychildcare.co.uk through dh's work. Have prepared a list of info (thanks cyclecamper). Fingers crossed we won't need to use them much.

Rowtunda - we did look at childminders but weren't convinced any we saw would provide the range of activities and stimulation that the nursery we've chosen does. Also dd loves being surrounded by other children. She's really disappointed when she can't go to nursery!