affordable childcare

[hatter]

I'm feeling bad coz I've just been the bearer of bad tidings to a friend of mine. ie by explaining to her the whole tax thing re nannies she realised that she just can't afford one. She's pretty gutted as she really wants to go back to work. She has an 11-month old and and older boy who will start state nursery part-time in Sep. Obviously she wants to take up the nursery place and thought that only a nanny would work, being able to do the drop off and pick-ups and have the wee one as well. Any suggestions? I'd really like to tell her something positive as she sounded very down

childminder?

maybe a nanny share?

Or a childminder? They do sometimes do pick ups form school/nursery and they are cheaper

Could she do a nannyshare ?
Or maybe hire a nanny who has a child of their own - you usually pay less.

Has she considered a childminder. I have had a wonderful childminder since ds1 was 5 months old (he is almost 6 now). She has ds2 all day and takes/collects ds1 to/from school.

I hope your friend can sort something out - there are other options.

What about a childminder who is close to the nursery rather than where she works/lives. The childminder may then be able to drop and collect from the nursery?

Most childminders do both, I think. Mine certainly does. And she's fab. Also cheaper, much cheaper, than a nanny!

I suggested childminder - she seemed unsure that she'd get one to do the droping off/picking up. (mine did). She's also not convinved it would be that much cheaper - two full-time childminder places are only a tiny bit less than a nanny round here. But then again, she wouldn't need f-t if one was at nursery some of the time. But will a childminder do p-t during term time and f-t in the holidays? Sounds like they'd be cutting themselves off from some income iyswim

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