Supply teaching child care problem

[RubyCharlie]

Hello, I was wondering whether anyone out there has a practical solution for our childcare problems! My husband and I have spent hours going round and round in circles and never come up with a solution!!

Here is the background.... I have a 4 year old son who attends nursery three mornings a week from 9:30-1pm. He loves it here and has only got until end of July before the summer holidays/he starts school. I have a 2 year old who goes to the same nursery just on Mondays.

My husband is a full time teacher. I am a supply teacher on an as and when basis. I ideally would work on average 2 days a week but these days vary from week to week and are not always the same two days. Some weeks I have nothing, others I have 3 days.

Until now I have been relying on my parents to look after my sons on these days. But they live a long way away and due to ill health are now no longer to help. We have no other family help or support.

Does ANYONE have ANY ideas to how I can work this out!! I have tried phoning nurseries and they say that they can be flexible to come extent but it would mean paying for 2 days a week even if there is no supply available for me.

I hope this makes sense! Obviously ideally I would have family help or have a permanent 2 day a week job but neither are available at the moment.

Many thanks in advance :-)

Try childminders. They can sometimes be really flexible.

I wonder if you put a card up on the nursery notice board someone might be able to help. I work part time in a nursery, until 12.30ish and from time to time have helped out friends who need some afternoon childcare. It is great for me because it means I don't have to committ to a regular slot but when they do want me, the extra money is really nice.
You could also maybe contact the local college that does a childcare/nursery course and see if they have any students that may like to work for you on an adhoc basis.
Have you put a notice on your local mumsnet page?

Brilliant ideas, thank you! Ohbugrit - I will contact our local ones and see if they can help. Posey - you don't work in Wiltshire do you?!!! That is a great idea - thank you everyone :-)

You've been given good advice already, but I'd just add that it may be worth playing the long game here. It seems as though teaching is extremely difficult to get into these days, so if you look on it as a means of staying employable it may help. You can book your children into nursery and make yourself available for those days, and then if you get work on those days, great, but if you don't, then at least you are keeping your hand in. It's rather like women who return to work and have no profit after childcare. The benefits of keeping your hand in outweigh the short term disadvantages. If you are looking to get a Permanent contract when your kids are in school, having done lots Of supply will give you a much better chance.

I know an ad hoc childminder in Wiltshire- she is in marlborough area if that is any good?