If your work days regularly change, how do you manage formal childcare arrangements?

[feelingratheroverwhelmed]

I'm on mat leave, but usually work three set weekdays. My teams operates 9-5 monday to friday. At some point we will go to seven days a week, with longer days. I'll still work my current hours, but will no longer have set days, and will need to work aprox two-three weekend days over twelve weeks. They will try and give the same days as often as possible, but this is not promised and cannot be done every week, partic due to the expectations to work some weekends.

My DC is in nursery, and I plan for my second DS to do the same. At my nursery, and all others in my area, you have to specify which days you want and these are non-negotiable, understandably. It expect childminders will have the same rules, as otherwise how can they fill their places to ge the most income?
This therefore does not work at all with the new work days.

It's all academic at the moment as it hasn't happened yet, thankfully.

So, I was wondering, how do others who have contracts like this manage formal childcare arrangements? Weekends are ok as DH will be at home. But he works 9-5 mon-fri so cannot do weekday childcare, and our family is not close enough to do anything other than emergency cover.

How is this kind of thing managed usually?

Bump. I will have to negotiate this in March when I go back to work. Our best solution so far is a part-time nanny (who only wants to work part-time). Haven't found one yet.

how much notice will you get of when you will work - some childminders do deals for shift workers - eg police officers so it might be worth looking at

I would contact local childminders and see what they can offer for you. As a childminder myself I would find out from you how many days in a month you will need childcare and charge full fee for those days and then dependent on on the 'shift' pattern probably charge a lower fee for the days care isn't provided for. The amount charged would depend on how many hours you require each week/month and how much I would expect to earn from those two spaces as well. The problem would probably be finding a childminder with two spaces and who is willing to care for your children on a varying days basis. Also when your eldest ds starts school your childcare costs will reduce during term time and your children will already know their childminder, as long as they cover your ds's school, ensuring a continuity of care for your family.

I end up paying for 4 days and only using 3 but nursery are flexible and I can usually get DD into nursery on the 5th day if needed on the odd occasion) it's a PITA really

Interesting, thanks guys. If paying for unused days to secure them is the only option then I would really need to reconsider my position. With two in childcare, even with the 15 funded hours, my salary just covers the childcare costs. If I have to pay for an extra day, even at a reduced rates, the costs will outweigh my salary. Now, of course the cost of childcare is split between me and DH, and I am returning to work to keep up my experience, not for the cash. But when you end up worse off working, it really needs reconsidering, doesn't it?!

The annoying thing is there isn't an option of getting a different job as all roles within my profession are doing this. It would mean doing something completely different, that I'm not qualified to do so probably wouldn't pay as much.

It sucks, doesn't it?!

if you need childcare for 2 what about a nanny? if they are ofsted reg'd you can use your free hours and vouchers I think.... provided you had rota in advance I think some nannies would be happy with flexible days