Having a baby while on supply?

[MissPrimaryCrafts]

Hi, so this may be a really silly idea, but my partner and I have really been wanting a baby. This year I've been doing my PGCE. I've had great feedback but there are so many trainees around here I haven't got a job and it's not looking likely so I'll have to go on supply.

I'm wondering...if I put away some money each month while doing supply, I could potentiallly save up some money to not have to work for a while and I could have a baby, then go back to supply?

I'm really upset to not have secured a job. So I'm thinking...if I'm not going to be employed full time, and I'll be doing supply which is more flexible work, see it as an opportunity to have a baby? With supply being flexible, I could start working again 1 or 2 days a week after having the baby and build it back up, could work nicely.

Is it a silly idea? I'm not sure about how consistent or well paid supply work is, so maybe my idea of working a lot and putting money aside wouldn't work.

How old are you and how desperate are you for children? from a career point of view, getting your NQT (ECT?) year (or two now?) done before having children would probably be wiser.

If the baby is more important than the career though, then you’d presumably be entitled to Maternity Allowance even if not working full time?

From what I understand, supply is usually pretty quiet in the first few weeks of September but then picks up (as staff start getting winter illnesses)

Signing up for agencies now will give you a greater chance of getting the longer term supply jobs (mat leaves, etc)

A lot would depend on your age and family finances. If you can manage on one salary, the second salary covers mainly 'nice to haves', and you're considering a baby in a year's time after completing your NQT via longer contracts on supply then that would probably work. If you need 2 salaries and would want to start TTC ASAP then that is much more risky in my opinion.

It's common for people to have a 1 year contract for NQT and move on, so I'd not instantly be worried about the 2 year ECF, but someone who is more closely involved in ECF might say otherwise. If they do then listen to them and ignore me.

I'm 27 (28 in just a few months). What I'm thinking is that if it takes me another year to get an ECT job, then two years to compelte my ECT, I'll be 31 at baby number 1 and I'd like to have more than one.

Thanks for the reply, I am starting to sign up now in case I don't secure a job in the next few weeks

It won’t necessarily take an extra year to get ECT. Longer term supply (mat leaves etc) can count towards it.