HOW do I make this work? childcare cost cf salary...

[fasterthanthewind]

I should have sat down and worked this out ages ago.
Basic setup:
3 children - 2 at school, 1 baby.
I work part-time, but my work is 'lumpy': some weeks I just need 1 day/week childcare, sometimes 3. It is impossible to smooth it, so in the past we've paid for more childcare than strictly necessary, to make things work.
Now we have 2 children at school, I thought the best thing to do would be to get a 2 day/week nanny (can call in some family support for occasional 3rd day).
But I've just worked out the cost, and it's insane.
I earn 830 (net), but a nanny will cost us between 966 and 1230 (depending on how tax is worked out between 2 employers).

What on earth can I do?? NB, we aren't eligible for ANYTHING, as DH earns over the threshold.

I feel really despairing - I can't see how anything other than a nanny can be made to work, as otherwise I'll go insane with exhaustion, rushing to pick children up from school every day as well as working, dropping them off in different places etc....

how about all three with thr same child minder?

or after school club and nursery?

CMs round here seem to charge £25/child for after school, so that'd be 9x7 for the baby, plus an extra £50 for the big ones (we're in London, it's extortionate. So that's just as bad.

After school plus nursery - I need to investigate this. There is one nursery that picks up from school. No proper after-school provision (no wrap-around) on site, and the organisation that does collect is not one I'd trust my children with - specially not one of reception age (think they don't take reception children anyway).

It's just grim.

do have any extra space in your house? could you get an aupair to pick up and drop off the older two? then you only have childcare for the baby to sort out.

Unfortunately like many parents it seems as your salary doesn't cover childcare its not worth yoyr whike financially. you might want to take the hit just now to keep your cv active and career progression?

how many hours childcare are you looking at? and what rate?

have you managed to find someone flexible to do it?

I ask because we had someone maybe one/one and a half a week at £10/h and its been less than that. maybe your days are longer than mine I guess..

Similar set up here, 2 at school, 1 pre-schooler.

The difference for us is that although I do 3 days, its constant.

It costs roughly £1000 for 3 days at nursery for the little one, and 2 nights at afterschool for the older ones. We use a salary sacrifice scheme and the childcare vouchers to bring the net cost down - is that an option? I'm slightly better paid so its still worthwhile for us - but I think its a hit you have to take in the short term if your career is such that its would be a disadvantageous to take time off.