Calling all nannies, nursery nurses and childminders

[cuckoo2004]

I recently gave birth to my first baby and am considering going back to work when she is a year old. I was wondering what the MNs who have been nannies, nursery nurses and childminders thought about this and whether they had put their own children into childcare in order to return to work themselves.

Hello cuckoo2004. I think it's important to do what you feel is right for you and your family. For me, I always knew that if it were at all possible, then I would be a SAHM when we had our own family. I had been a nanny for some years, then worked in a day nursery before leaving to have ds1 (now 6). Knowing childcare would be expensive and that having spent years caring for other people's children, I felt there was no-one else better qualified to look after ours than myself and that I kind of owed them that as it's the line of work I'm trained in anyway. I've since become a registered childminder and have worked part-time on and off over the last five years (when I wasn't busy having dd and ds2).
Are you a nursery nurse yourself?

I was a nurse, midwife and then a health visitor although I now work in senior management. I love my job but I do remember though that very few of my clients who were trained in childcare returned to work which has made me think. I suppose I'm just torn between my baby and my job. I know that she'll be little for such a short time and that if I have no2 I'll stay at home anyway. The only problem is that if I don't return then I'll have to pay my enhanced maternity pay back. I can do it but things will be a bit tight. However, my daughter is my priority which was why I asked the question.

I was working in an office when DD was born and HAD to return to work as DH is medically retired. My DH was a fantastic SAHDad and DD was fine. If he had been in work - I would probably have returned to work P/T when she was about 1....however I'm now a childminder and if I had been doing this when DD was born I would have carried on - still P/T but prob a few more hrs....It's a difficult decision to make

my 2 girls are in nursery the 3 days a week I work. they've both been there since they were 7 months, and imo that's the right age to start - the closer you get to a year you might run into (perfectly natural, normal) development of separation anxiety which does make things a bit trickier. hth

cuckoo2004, I'm going to go back and do my 3 months so that I don't have to pay back leave - is that a possibility? If you're an NHS worker like me, it doesn't matter which NHS organisation you do them for, legally it counts. I went part-time while pregnant so am going to do 3 months temp work via NHSP and see how it goes. If it's all fantastic and we love it, then I can get a permanent job, if not then I can stop and I haven't hurt anybody. I'm more junior than you but maybe a 3 month post, chunk of advice or single project might be available. Just a thought - and congratulations!

Hello acnebride

Thanks for your suggestion. I'm already ttc no2 and am thinking that I might go back pt just for 3 months and then hopefully go back onto maternity leave again.

Do you know whether I have to work the full 13 weeks in order to avoid having to repay the enhanced maternity, or is one day in each of the 3 months sufficient? I don't really want to contact my HR dept yet as I don't want them to know what I'm thinking of doing. I've thought about going back to work on the bank but I'm a bit worried that I might not even get 1 day in each of 3 months due to the financial constaints on the trusts at the moment.

Never asked this one. I assumed that 3 months meant 3 months of your pre-leave job, so that I needed to work 13 wks of 20 hours a week, but if they can only find me a 40 hour a week job, I only need to work 7 weeks!!

I have to say I also kept HR fully in the picture and asked them all my questions - it is their job to keep this stuff confidential isn't it? maybe i'm just being naive. You could talk to an employment lawyer with expertise in the public sector? maybe you have legal services as part of your contents/buildings insurance?

I would have thought that if you are registered with the bank and reasonably available for work then they wouldn't bother suing you if it wasn't done precisely within the 3 months. I recently met a teacher who never went back for her 3 months and has never been pursued about it. However, she is always wondering whether she will be, and I couldn't deal with that.

Hi cuckoo2004 i'm a trained nanny and have been so for about 8 years now.I now have my own ds to look after who is 5 months now.I wo'nt be returning to my previous job as they have moved away,i am hoping to stay at home until christmas but then i have to find another job,only partime but i'm not sure what sort of job i will do.Probably nanning and finding a nice family who will not mind my ds coming too!