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Original poster

£100 a day for childcare - any alternative ieas??

42 replies

weewishyouamerryonion · 04/12/2007 20:28

hi folks!
dd is 7 months old and i am due back in work in january. dp is a nurse who works 12 hr shifts 7am to 7pm but managed to get request for set days approved so will have dd 2 days per week. i have a long commute to leave home at 5.30am and not home til 7.30pm and will be doign 5 days/ week.

we have a nursery for 3 days a week but will need to contract in to a special sitter service to have her from 6am to 8am and from 6pm to 7.30pm. This is over £15/hr.

we will be paying nearly £100 / day for childcare. we cannot afford this but more importantly i hate the thought of her having such long days but work are battling to approve my flexible work request.

does anyone have any bright ideas on what we could do - we have no family / friends that can help out. there are no childminders in our area.

OP posts:
moondog · 04/12/2007 20:29

OMG
Sounds like a complete nightmare.
(Sorry,not very helpful am I?)

ChristmasShinySnowflakes · 04/12/2007 20:32

Would you not be better of getting a Nanny?

At least then she would have some consistent care.

SueW · 04/12/2007 20:32

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at OP's request.

madness · 04/12/2007 20:34

Is there no change of having her in a nursery closer to work, eg hospitals often have their own nurseries that are open longer than usual nurseries.
I pay a childminder £10/h for 6-7pm, looking after more than just 1 child!

sophierosie · 04/12/2007 20:37

Have you thought about a nanny or aupair?

Are there really no childminders in your area? Perhaps you could retrain as one and meet that gap in the market

Do you have to return to work in Jan? Could you postpone for a few months to give you some more time to explore more childcare options?

It certainly sounds as if its going to be v stressful and if one of the 'cogs' breaks in your provision (ie your morning sitter is sick) it'll really frustrating to sort out.

Does your DP often have to do overtime or is he lucky enough to finish on time?

NorthernLurkerwithastarontop · 04/12/2007 20:41

weeonion - I think you will need to pay through the nose for a bit and then find another job as soon as you can - 5 days a week, 14 hr days is going to kill you!

micegg · 04/12/2007 20:45

Hope this doesnt sounds patronsining as its really not meant to be but just wanted to say I feel for you. You are in a really tough position. I would definately look into a nanny. ALso can you work at home for at least one day a week? At least that would reduce the length of your day. Has DP thought about moving into an area that doesnt require shift work?

MaureenMLovesmincepies · 04/12/2007 20:48

Where are you that there are no childminders in your area? Have you checked along your whole route to work? A childminder would certainly do those hours, all of them. I do. I have a midwife on my books, who starts early and mindee is dropped at 6am and although she is collected at about 5pm, I am still working until gone 7 some nights. You will have to pay unsociable hour rates, but no where near amounting to £100 a day.

ThursdayNext · 04/12/2007 20:49

That sounds like a nightmare, poor you.
If at all possible it sounds like you need a new job.
In the meantime, if you don't get anywhere with your flexible work request, could DP reduce his hours, at least temporarily? My DP is also a nurse who works long shifts, but he now works a 28 hour week with some set days off. Does your DP work in a ward area? Are you both having weekends off (it sounds like it from your description of the days)? Could he work at least one day at the weekend and do more childcare in the week?
In my experience the NHS is much better at accomodating flexible working arrangements than many private employers, so it may be possible to rearrange his work at least till you can find another job if that's an option.
Are you using the hospital nursery, if practical at all? They are usually well subsidised.

ruddynorah · 04/12/2007 20:50

good grief. do you both need to work? what has the reponse been to your flexible working request? what have you requested?

mammyjounderthemistletoe · 04/12/2007 20:53

WO, would you (or could you) reduce your hours? As NL said 14 hours a day for 5 days a week would be an absolute killer. I know that I would struggle with it.

If there are no childminders then I really dont know what to suggest. Agree with madness that hospitals often have their own nurseries, mine does. I am sure you have probably looked into this, but if not it may be worth a thought?

Sorry, not much help. Hope you manage to sort things out soon. Good Luck xx

inthegutter · 04/12/2007 20:54

Those extra bits of the day can be a real killer can't they? My situation was nowhere near as bad as yours, but I remember when i had 2 children in day nursery, they made a special arrangement so I could drop them earlier (the nursery didn't open til 8.30 am which was way too late for me to get into work as a teacher). I was charged something mad like 3 times the normal rate for that time, which really bumped up the fees. I know I earned very little during that time after paying for childcare. My only suggestion is to find a nanny who would possible work out cheaper and would be more flexible, or look for another job. Good luck.

nappyaddict · 04/12/2007 20:57

where abouts do you live?

you could get a nanny for £7 per hour round here.

ruddynorah · 04/12/2007 20:58

you need to be thinking ahead as well, like how is this going to work when your dc is at school? when do you get the outcome of your request back?

PillockOfTheCommunity · 04/12/2007 20:58

WO
it sounds like you just can't win.
If you look for childcare nearer your work then C has to do the commute with you which would make it very stressful
I would think that the only option would be a nanny and dropping the nursery, or an au pair, or a friendly mum nearby?

I do think you need to seriously reconsider work though, I think you will really struggle leaving C for 14hrs every day

nappyaddict · 04/12/2007 20:59

oh that works out just as expensive. you'd be best having an au pair to do the 6 til 8 parts of each day and then sending her to nursery. au pairs can work up to 25 hours a week and they earn about £55 pocket money to do that but you obviously need a spare room.

DippyChristmas · 04/12/2007 21:16

WO, sweetie - sounds like you and / or DP need to revise your working hours. Nanny / au-pair option definitely sounds better all round. Think you need to find a ne, more flexible job tbh. Hope that doesn't sound patronising, it isn't meant as such - just concerned about you, your DP and precious little C too. xxxxxx

geordiemacminxpie · 04/12/2007 21:18

WO - we can talk about this tomorrow - there might be some way that I can help?

Original poster
weewishyouamerryonion · 04/12/2007 23:09

thanks folks.

we ave spent many many hours trying to find a way round this. i have been to a local workign for families project to see if they can help. they were the ones to find the sitter service. they also doen the figures which looks like we will not get anyhting from workign families tax credit.

there are no available childminders where we live (east end of glasgow). the nearest one would necessitate me getting bubba to her 20mins drive away.
nurseries closer to my work in edinburgh = dd woudl have to be on a bus at 6am - so a very very early start.
nurseries at dp's work - none prvided at his hopsital and the nearest offsite one doesnt open til 8am.
aupair / anny - we live in aflat and there wouldnt be room to spare.

i agree with a longer term view to changing jobs - but realy cant give up work and they wont let me reduce hours.

x

OP posts:
BoysAreLikeReindeer · 04/12/2007 23:12

Weeonion, I've just seen this.

Sorry to hear you are having problems finding childcare. This is not what you signed up for at all, eh?

Take care

NorthernLurkerwithastarontop · 04/12/2007 23:36

This is a big change too - but what about moving to Edinburgh - or half way in between - cut down on your commute time - I know it would be hard on your o/h though?

babbi · 04/12/2007 23:37

Hi

Sorry to hear of this ! Totally ridiculous amount for Glasgow Area .
I presume that the project you refer to is the link I have attached ?

www.eastend.org.uk/projects/working_for_families/index.html

If not maybe worth a try .

Also, have you thought of contacting the colleges where childcare is offered ?
Perhaps one of the students would be happy to make some extra cash as the early start for them would be only three days ?? They would be a lot cheaper than £15 per hour.

Will have another think and see what I can come up with x

sb6699 · 05/12/2007 00:33

I live "down South" now but before I moved last year I remembered reading in the Evening Times about a nursery which I think was near you that was open 24 hours a day to cater for shift workers.

Sorry I can't remember the name of it but maybe my post will jog someones memory.

Original poster
weewishyouamerryonion · 05/12/2007 00:47

hi babbi - yep thats the one. they were really good actually - very helpful but at a loss as what to suggest. i would recommend them to other glaswegians returning to work after mat leave.

we did a hunt round to find that 24 hr nursery but it doesnt seem to be still open. i think that is why glasgow city council is supporting this sitter service.

OP posts:
PrisonerCellBlockAitch · 05/12/2007 02:02

weeonion, email me at aitch at baby led weaning dot com. i know of a very good trained nanny who lives in the west end (yes, i know) but she may be able to help, who knows? she was looking for work last time i spoke to her. i can put you in touch with her at any rate, perhaps she could travel? it would mean her being in the flat a bit but that would be okay if you're not in, wouldn't it? got to say she's not cheap either but she'd not cost a ton a day .

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