Have decided to go back to work - need some help now!!!

[wobblyknicks]

After a long time of thinking about it I've decided its better all round for me and dd if I go back to work. I was set on starting my own business but it seems better if I start that far more slowly from my wages rather than get a loan etc.

Thing is, somehow I've got to get and start a job at almost exactly the same time as getting a childminder for dd and I'm not sure how to do it!!!

It would probably be better to look for a childminder first because most jobs round here want you to be able to start pretty quickly. I could ask my parents to look after her for a few days but then I wouldn't have time to see childminders so that wouldn't work anyway. I could also afford (just!) to pay for a few days for dd to settle in, so I can be there or at least be available while she tries it out. Thing is, would a childminder mind me asking for a place without being able to say precisely when I want it to start??

Also, there are jobs that I could get quickly for a short term solution but that I wouldn't be able to do for more than say a month. Is it unreasonable if I have to ask the childminder to change the hours (slightly) if I change jobs?

Sorry this is long and rambly - my bonce is full of info but haven't actually got anything sorted up there!!

Depends on the childminder. The only way to find out is to ask. Contact the local council as they have a list of childminders wiht current spaces. Some are more flexible than others, as with most things in life.

Hi WK

If I understand correctly you are asking if a cm will mind if you change times once a DD has started?

Well I only work part time and CMB mum is changing her shifts in couple of weeks which is a real pain for me but I have agreed to it because I want to keep CMB

As he is the only one I have, then numbers don't matter.

BUT if you were with someone like KMc then it would matter because by law CM have to limit their numbers at certain times.

So it depends how they work

We all work differently

Flexibility is only possible within the law.

Thanks jb and KM. I wouldn't be asking to change the hours much, as in changing shifts - just maybe start half an hour earlier, finish an hour later/earlier, things like that.

Will get in touch with a few and see what they say.

As long as the numbers do not go over the legal number at the particular time.

ok, thanks KM!!!

I think you should discuss it with the childminder and mention that this wouldn't be a regular changing - just a hopefully one off.....s/he would probably understand and let you know how much flexibility you had with them...

KMc hope that didn't come accross as me saying you were not flexible

What I meant was that if cm are full then they are not allowed by law to have parents wanting them to overlap the children.

I was saying it so that parents knew that it was the law not the childminder that made the rules

Hope that makes some sense.

Way ahead of you I couldn't change a child from a Wed to a Tue but I could change from 9am on Wed to 7.30 (eg)

PS have a look at the next new thread I do....I'm a bit confused

Thanks both of you!! Will have a chat to the childminder before starting, naturally - just wanted to check I wasn't expecting something out of the ordinary etc.