Shift work - childcare options

[TroubleIsBrewing]

When I return to work I will be doing 9-5 four days on and fours days off continuously. My Mum will have DD Thurs/Fri and DH will have her Sat/Sun. Which leaves Mon-Wed, am I right in thinking whichever childcare option I choose I will have to pay for 3 days regardless of whether I am working those three days or not?

Unfortunately that is the case. In your circumstances it may be worth looking for a nanny share where you agree with the other person to fully pay the days you use and they pay everything else (so they get some free days every month).

While a nanny is more expensive than a nursery it would more than likely be cheaper to do what I suggested than pay for days you don't want or need.

It could be worth looking into childminders, our lovely CM who lives n the road behind us only charges us for 2 days a week but we have a place for 3 days a week. Some weeks we only use 1 day, some weeks all 3. As CM's set their own conditions you may find someone aho can be accommodating.

HR at your local hospital should have a number for a shift work nursery that their staff use

agree some CM will work something out for shiftworkers - so it doesn't cost you full cost for all days - especailly as it sound like you will know exactly when you are working in advance- which some shiftworker don't

I have a floating day off in the week, my childminder charges me half price for whichever day I don't use to hold the place open so I pay for 4.5 days a week rather than 5

If you found a nanny share you could agree on x days per [time period]
that way you wouldn't pay for days you don't use

Definitely look into childminders. DP does a horrible rolling 10-day shift pattern, I'll be working M-F 9-5, so our needs change every week, with varying hours every day. We've found a lovely cm who is happy to accomodate this. What we've done is look at the schedule for the next few months and work out the average number of hours, and then we are paying her a flat fee so she has a guaranteed income.

Silkysmith those nurseries are very rare, maybe only in London? Worked for NHS for years in many different hospitals and not heard of any flexible nurseries. I have to have set shifts in the week and make up the rest of the hours at weekends as we have no family in the area. I requested this before going back to work as if I couldn't do set shifts I wouldn't have been able to work.

I think childminders are more flexible and probably not as expensive so as others have said this is probably your best option.

That's right milkyjo, all MNers live in London by default don't they . I don't. in fact the London hospital I worked in (out of many) was the only trust that wasn't linked to a shift nursery
what is the harm in the OP enquiring about all the suggestions so she knows all her options, silly to cross things off before finding out about them!

and y'know most don't start off with a list of restrictions unless their mortgage or freeholder demands that they do, those that choose to get a bit tougher mostly started off all idiolistic about tennents being appreciative of a good land lord and looking after their place in return.. and got burnt so had to get tougher.

wrong thread