Urgent advice please - evening child care

[FateLovesTheFearless]

I have seen a job I would love to do and have got an interview in half an hour. However I am a lone parent to 4dc aged 2-6 and the job would require childcare from 5-11pm 3 evenings a week. I have a flat mate and also a very good friend whom is pregnant and would happily look after them for me. What I want to know is, is it legal for her to do so? Could anyone advise me as I have never had to consider childcare before.

Not legal if you are going to pay her for doing so. Also, what happens when your friend has her baby? She can't possibly manage a newborn and four others under 6 during bedtime madness. Presumably, this care has to take place in your home? What about a live-in aupair? Alternatively, I think you will have to search for a nanny who wants to do evening work but that will cost a lot considering the children will (presumably) mostly be asleep?

She will be moving out before her baby gets here, I meant in the short term. If I found a nanny does tax credits help towards the cost?

My kids are also very easy to look after and yes they will be sleeping from 7pm onwards. None of them have woke in the night from 3 months old illness excluding.

I disagree, I think it is legal BUT you may find yourself to be considered by the Inland Revenue as her employer, and thus find yourself having to consider the possibility of 'on-costs'. You may be liable for tax and employers NI, plus you may also need to consider if you need employers insurance. I am assuming she will be looking after the children in your home?

I don't know more about the ins and outs of it than that, but if you search around for nanny type posts and tax issues, you may find more idea on figures etc. Also look into the definition of an au-pair, as if she is living with you, I can't see how that is different (other than I know au-pairs often have courses or similar going on).

Do you mean childcare vouchers? If the company you are working for offers them and the nanny is OFSTED registered then yes, you could use them. However, it is expensive to have a nanny, depending on where you are in the country you could be paying from £8-12 per hour. Will your job support that? You might find someone who will do it for less as once bedtime is over, they will have an easy time of it. However, you may equally find someone who wants more money than normal for it because of the unsociable hours.

Yes it would be in the home. She has lived with me for six months and the kids adore her. She is newly pregnant and it was herself that offered to look after them, but I didnt know the legalities of it. I will get googling, thanks.

Sorry, Old teacher has explained the legal implications better than me, I was rushing because I assume your interview has now started.

I have been, will be a few days for the outcome. Thanks.

Of course it's legal as long as the person isn't an idiot and has childrens best interests at heart. She will need to register if you want to claim tax credit childcare. Anyone can baby sit...... A first aid certificate would be useful, doesn't cost alot and you could both go halves. You also could make an arrangement for free rent/ reduced rates in exchange for baby sitting. That is if I read it right that she has lived in your house. Then you would both gain at no/ little financial cost

Who would she register with and would it make me her employer? She said last night that if there was a way she could properly work for me it would mean she would be able to claim maternity when her baby arrives, currently she hasn't worked enough to claim it and is worried about finances when her baby arrives. It wasn't a planned baby.

Fate. I'm sorry I can't tell you much more but I do know a child minder who registered with local authority. Not sure what h&s you would need in your home but know if your kids were in cm's house certain things have to be in place. Gates, bars/ rails if required etc. You would be her employer if you also registered for this. The tax office would be one suggestion. But for all the leg work and paperwork it may be counter productive if this is only going to be a temporary arrangement. Good luck.