childcare confusion, please help!

[pearshape]

It looks as though my days of being a SAHM (which I'm really loving) have to come to an end because financially we are sinking! anyway, I've got two dd's, one who will be 4 soon and will be starting school this september and the other one is 18 months. I am hoping to hold out on returning to work until my first dd starts school. Question is, dd2 is no problem, she'd just be in nursery, but how do you get on with a child at school? the sort of work i'll be looking for probably wouldn't fit in with school hours so i'd need her to be picked up (would much rather do it myself, but hey) and looked after until i could collect her after work, so i'd have to find some sort of after school club or something, but how do you get on in the school holidays?? do nurseries take school aged children just for holiday periods or would the after school clubs have them all day during holidays?? It's all really confusing and I could really do with some advice from someone. thanks!

[ThePrisoner]

Lots of childminders will take children to and from school, and will have children during the school holidays/inset days etc.

Your local Childrens Information Service will have details of childminders (not all will be listed, so worth ringing them too), holiday clubs and so on.

[ksmum]

Childminder might be a good option. My daughter is going to a childminder at the mo and starting nursery school next september and she will be doing pick ups for her then. Also when your little one is older she can maybe still do pick up for her and she will be used to her.

Other option is of course a nanny but rather expensive unfortunately...


Mind you my CM is £50 a day anyway

[chocolatekimmy]

After school clubs are convenient because they will collect the child from school, give them a snack at about 4.15 and have them until 6pm for £9 a session (hampshire).

They also run full days during the school holidays for about £22. Our local leisure centre also does a school holiday club.

Not aware of any nurseries that do school clubs for older children - they are not structured for that type of care, don't have the space and would have to take on extra staff.

Ring your local childminders association co-ordinator to see if any of those do holiday care only. Also, have you thought of a child minder that could have your youngest in the day and collect your oldest from school and have her after school as well.

Some child minders do just after school care too for older children.