How do you organise childcare when doing shifts in the NHS - how flexible are they?

[josben]

I've got an interview next week for the NHS as a clinical support worker - it's 22.75 hours a week and the job looks really interesting and I do want it... but I am now getting worried about finding chilcare for my 3 dc'S aged 6, 4 and 1. I'm not sure what the shifts will be but i think there's some lates and weekends. My DH works late hours sometimes and although i do have my Mum near who'll help, I'm not sure she'll want to be too tied down. There is a good nursery at the hospital, so they must be flexible...
Probably should have thought about all this before I applied for the job!

Our hospital nursery is only open 8am to 6pm. Not much use for nurses working 7am to 2pm, or 2pm to 10pm shifts

Some childminders are registered as being 'NHS compatible' or similar wording, meaning they will take kids for parents on weird shifts. Will look up the relevant link, hang on!

Our nursery has the same hours as Themoons.
I used a childminder and Breakfast Club for mine and negotiated 7.15 til 2, Mon,Tues and Wed every week,instead of doing shifts all over the place.I was going back to a job rather than starting a new one though.

I now work every other weekend and don't use childcare at all (it wasn't worth it in £ or sanity tbh)

I think its definitely worth a try,even if you could get fixed shifts so that you know where you are every week.

I didn't have a problem with childminders doing early starts/late finishes,more with needing her different days every week.It makes it too difficult for them to fill their other places.

Ah - if you live in Bradford you're okay .

If you Google on NHS Childminder and your local area? Or ask your HR department maybe?

Thanks for your responses, I will have a look at childminders, but like you say, its when the days change around that I might have a problem...

I've never worked in the NHS before so its a completely new start, and so I don't think that they'll be too chuffed if I start asking for more regular days / hours

Oh well - I'll go for it, see if I can fit in with the hours they're want - nothing ventured and all that!

you should have some option as a working parent as regards yr working hrs and their pattern. All part of the NHS Improving Working Lives - part of which is keep/recruit working parents so various policies to encourage them to join or stay.
Ask at the interview.

If you can find another nhs worker in a similar position why not try a nanny share or even a childminder share, so that the hours for the care stay the same but the child may vary. may work out cheaper too.
good luck

ask the HR dept if they have a "Family friendly" policy- they should have. Ask how many late shifts/ week, how many weekends/ year. Most of the nurses in the department will be in the same boat as you, so the ward/ dept manager will be used to juggling shifts to suit staff childcare.

My dh and I both work in the NHS, and have a school age daughter. We have a childminder who does most of the school runs for us, and also takes her for some of the holidays. DH and I have to be fairly scrupulous about checking our shifts- so far we haven't had any major clashes (i.e. both working lates at the same time). Presumably your Mum could help out if that happens.

The only problem we have had was one Bank holiday when dh and I were both working, the school was shut, the childminder wasn't working, and the school holiday club isn't open bank holidays either (because of course, none of the parents will be at work it being a bank holiday ). Dd came into work with me for the morning, and sat quietly in the office (no managers around ), dh managed to wangle the afternoon off...

When I started my job they were very flexible with me. I work 7.5 hr shifts on weekends and 12.5 hrs on weekdays, and I work set days. However, they 'knew' me and knew I had DS. Discuss it though if you can, you might be surprised what there would be available shift wise.