How do you work and pick up children from school?

[LowBumsMum]

We're considering moving back to the UK after 8 years in France and me going back to employed work - ideally part time. I'm currently self employed but am not exactly gifted at the finding work bit.
I became a Mum in France and so all employment was in the UK before children and it seems daunting to think how you drop the children at school and then pick them up at 3.30 whilst working - it just wouldn't have worked with any of my past jobs.

So, can you tell me how you do it? What options are there for child care, practical arrangements, and costs. Also what sort of arrangements can you make with employees and when is the best time to talk about flexible working?
Any tips would be great.
Thanks
Sarah

We had been using a nursery while our children were pre-school, which was open 8 am - 6 pm, so yes, when they start school it does bring logistical problems (though on the plus side it gets cheaper as there is suddenly a fairly large portion of the day they are in school for free!)

We use a childminder, dropping the children there at 8am and then she walks them to school (she has her own child at the same school too). She has them after school too, though within the last year an after school club has opened, due to many parents needing wraparound care, so my kids go there twice a week, which I think is a nice balance, as they have some time at the club with more organised activities with their friends, and some chill out time with the cm. In the holidays we use a mix of cm and holiday clubs (you may find holiday clubs don't open until 9/9.30 and finish sometimes at 4, so not great as your sole form of childcare; however, we use the cm to drop off and pick up)

IME it's virtually impossible to find a job which fits around dropping off and picking up yourself, and usually if they do they're fairly low grade, eg some supermarkets do school hours shifts. Being a Learning Support Assistant is supposed to be pretty good for school hours,but unless your children are in the same school as you, you would probably still need some other care.

Our childcare bill is around £20 per day on school days for the before/after school care, so much cheaper than when they were in nursery. Holidays obviously more, but remember you can take some of your annual leave to cover parts of it.

Our children are at the age when they are still happy with holiday clubs and cm, but in a couple of years we're going to try to employ a Uni student for the summer hols, which from what friends tell me works well for that awkward age when the kids are young enough to still need supervision, but too old to want clubs or cm

HTH

Can I ask what is the student supposed to do with the child? Mine is obliviously too young for any of this. But I'm curious as I do live in a university town.

Hi onelittletoddlingterror.
Our friends who use students have kids generally in the 9-14 years range, where they don't necessarily want to feel they are being 'minded' by a traditional cm, or being organised into activities at clubs, yet still need some adult supervision. Obviously at this age they don't need watching every minute, so for example the kids might be playing in their rooms or the garden while the student bases themselves downstairs. We have friends doing this at the moment and their student has taken their kids to the park, shopping etc... Just normal stuff really but with kids this age they prefer the 'cool' factor of being with a young adult rather than feeling babied by a cm. Care does need to be based in the kids' home btw, as otherwise you run into all sorts of childminding regulations.

Our friends have a student who is intending to go into teaching, so apart from the money, it's really useful for them to put on their cv as experience for later on .

Most schools either run after school clubs or use a nursery that runs one for them. At DD's school there is a breakfast club from 7.45 tp 8.45 for £3.50 each day & they get toast or porridge and juice.

In the evening after school club runs til 17.30 and costs £6.50 per day.

I use childcare vouchers to reduce the cost, most employers will run such a scheme and most childcare providers accept them & it saves you the tax & NI on your fees.

We had a student looking after 5-yo DS this summer holiday (3 days a week). She did normal stuff - playing at home, craft, baking, reading, TV, garden, park, bike trips, walks in countryside. Plus a couple of fancier day trips to local attractions. It was a great solution.

After school club runs to 5.30.
Its great, DS loves it.

Sorry, its £5.10 per session, and they give him a snack.

Many childminders offer wraparound care and some are before/after school only.

This is great, thanks very much for all the information - I'd never have thought of a student for the holidays. Also thanks for the comment Janey68 about jobs fitting around school hours being difficult to find - I can stop worrying about trying to find one now and work out other solutions.

What are your experiences of going back into the workplace after taking time off - it's a bit daunting thinking of juggling professional me with Mummy me and everything that entails, although starting to feel the need for more structure and being in a professional environment again. Does it take a while to get used to?

Hi, I can't really answer fully as I never took extended time out, just maternity leave. From what others say, it may take a period of adjustment, but as you're moving back from France you're already coping with a fairly major change. Children are very adaptable. Professionally, it's worth looking at if there's any specific training you could do to bring your skills up to date in your field, as many careers are fast moving. Also remember (I'm sure you don't need reminding actually!) the jobs market in the UK is pretty dire at the moment, so you're likely to be competing against a lot of other people. So don't be put off if it takes a while to get back in. Oh, may be worth getting someone to look over and advise on your cv, as many companies like cvs presented quite differently to how they used to be.

I think the main thing in your favour is your willingness to accept that you will need to sort out childcare, rather than imagining the job will fit around school. IME the women who get really stuck are the ones who expect to get back into work without it impacting on their life in any way at all, and assume they can still do the school run.

If you are determined to get back in, you will, a positive attitude and willingness to adapt your life to a new routine are key - best of luck

I used to work 3 full days when the DCs were at nursery, but last year I moved to 4 short days. So I work 8.15am-2pm and can do the school pick ups. DH drops the DCs at school.

I think it is very hard to find a job that would allow you to do both drop off and pick up.