Looking for work and childcare at the same time

[2Siobhan]

I really want to get a job but am confused on how to find childcare for when/if I ever find a job as waiting list are very long and I can't afford to pay for a place if it becomes available before finding a job. Does that make sense?

Can't offer any practical help, but as someone who had a job, and put name/deposit down for nursery when 5 months PG, you have my sympathy!

I would put your child's name down for the childcare you want, and put all your efforts into finding work. If you haven't found anything by the time a childcare place becomes available, consider borrowing some money to tide you over. Better that way than losing the place and then getting a job a little later and being stuck. I'm afraid the reality of childcare is that it costs a lot, and securing a place is part of the deal. You'd find yourself in the same position if you were already working with one child and then had another child - you would have to pay to keep your childcare place open even while on Maternity leave. It's the way it goes.

Work from home?

I agree with violethill, I reckon if you book now to start in October or November you should be all right as you should have some flexibility with a new job to say when you can start (they need to wait for people's notice periods etc.)

2siobhan, i am in the same position, but i have two babies, 3 and 1 and can't afford the childcare up front or to pay while i am not working. i am looking at doing a childcare swap with someone in the area as i don't have family here to help out. its the only thing i can come up with.
and then becoming a childminder myself... good income working from home, can be long busy hours tho. and depends on what you want to do.
a childminder for you may be a better option than a nursery, not so many waiting lists and places can come up quickly and closer to when you get a job. hope that helps. good luck.

Thanks for all your reply's I was thinking that perhaps a childminder was the easiest option but would prefer nursery. The one my son is finishing is lovely but the waiting list is sooooo long. She has been on it for over a year and is still over 300 on the list. She is starting at another nursery for a 3 hour session 2 times a week but this would not be enough time. Her nanny was going to cover the extra hours till i extended the hours but this is no longer possible. She starts school in Sept 2012 and think that I just may have to wait till then.

You can start job hunting now anyway and then tell them you can't start until September at the earliest - that should be fine because interviews take a couple of weeks then people are on holiday etc., I reckon most employers would be happy with a September start.

Can you use a childminder to fill the gap? As you have a child already you know the system better than me, but until recently I was in the same boat.

I was on mat leave with my first and had no job to go back to or any child care. I am in an area where the waiting lists are also massive.

I was offered a job very recently, so I stepped up my childcare search. I rang a lot of CMs and have managed to find one I like that has a space. I'm going to call her over the weekend to ask if I can place my son with her and arrange a settling in time.

When I was looking for work and childcare everyone told me that it would work itself out. I couldn't believe that it would, but it actually has been ok.

Good luck.

2Siobhan, Sept is just around the corner, I think most employers should be prepared to wait.

As for the 300+ waitlist nursery, you have to stay close to them. Call them regularly to ask whether a place has come up, praise them to the skies. Those wait lists can be tweaked if the nursery is prepared to do it. Who is going to audit the list?

A lot of people on the list fall away once a place is offered. So the nursery should be prepared to pull out the stops if you show you are serious. Which you will be once you get a job.

Also, a lot of places become available in Sept and January when the 4-5 year olds start school and the intake moves up.

Good luck with the job hunt!