Giving Up Work due to Child Care Issues ... Really URGENT Please HELP

Bettyboop

Elle83, I work for the NHS and I made this final move and wanted it to be the last career move I make. Basically I'm 29 but wanted to stay there for as long as possible. My manager is on holiday for 2 weeks but given the urgency and nature of this problem I will have to find someone else to talk to. I'm really hoping it gets sorted out. What also made today worse was when I went to fetch my daughter she was sleeping the childminders BED!!!!!!!!! that's a bit to close for comfort!

jopsey

Have you asked about at your little one's pre school if any of the parents could recommend anybody ?
I have a few 'mum' friends who pick friends children up from pre school/school while they work ,they arn't official child minders as such but are excellent with the children .

Toonie

I am very sorry to hear about your problems, I can relate slightly, but from the opposite viewpoint, I'm a nanny who was told by my employer nine hours after I started she didn't want me anymore.

The only advice I can give is to check out the postings on Gumtree.com in the work wanted section, you may find a posting from a nanny/childminder on the listings there. Or you can post a request for a childcarer under the jobs section. (I know it costs something, but its not much I don't think).

I hope it all works out for you.

elisebutt65

Awww this is so bad though!!!!

Even though your separated - you shouldn't have to take on the whole burden of childcare - the child does have 2 parents after all!!!! Have you approached him and asked him for contributions towards a nanny or is he like my ex and and evil git who refuses to div up for anything????

What about job sharing so you only have to work half the week which also means you only have to find care for part of the week?

Bettyboop

elissebutt65, I am so stressed about this. The ex was just around here and doesn't think it's a big deal. It's not his job on the line it's mine. He has come up with an idea for getting an aupair? I don't have a spare room for one but he is in our 3 bedroom house and says she could stay there! Does anyone know if tax credits will contribute towards this? Thanks

fsdss

sorry if this is posted already - as you work for the nhs there should be in place a childcare co-ordinator who can help you find childcare in an emergency until you can find your own - (or even a hospital nursery placement if there is one) try your HR dept see if they can help out

Counting_Pennies_2

Can't help about the tax credits for au pairs I'm afraid.

I can however suggest trying to find out who is the lead childminder for the local area. My local childminders group has a lead person who co-ordinates the other childminders and arranges emergency cover etc.

It is worth asking around, although I would caution, remember not to be too negative about your childminder, say you have been let down by her, but don't go into too much detail, as you might find they close ranks through misguided loyalty!

What about private preschools, have you looked into those, often they have spaces. Also are you able to try out of town, here we have little villages local to us, and it is possible to find spaces in those much easier than in the town, and often take pity on you and take your child on, that is what happened when I had a crisis.

Bettyboop

I tried all afternoon to reach a childcare coordinator with no joy. I'm back tomorrow and hopefully I will be able to sort something out. I have been on the Internet all afternoon and night doing research about au pairs etc. Thanks for all your suggestion.

cazziebo

I do hope you find a solution. It sounds as if you really like your job so it would be great if the childcare could be sorted.

I also had no family around but was lucky with a fab childminder. A few of my friends did nanny sharing and that seemed to work out really well. Maybe you could ask around and see if anyone would work with you on that for a temporary basis?

wishing you best of luck, Bettyboop

x

frenchconnection200

Contact the school and ask them who childminds, at my sons school everyone knows who the childminders are. Ring the council and get a list of childminders and don't discount nurserys with poor OFSTED reports as it will mean they will have to improve and will be being monitored.
Do you have an "improving working lives" person where you work if so contact them. The NHS trust where I work has a care coordinator to help with problems such as yours. Also if you have acess to some form of noticeboard at work post a message asking for names of childminders, staff in the NHS are really helpful to other staff (well they are where I work!!)