Childcare plans?

[Thalie]

I pay £30/week at the school club and students/friends help out everyThursday for free - so far - when I'm back after 7 from My Primary care attachment.

£45 is the going rate for au pairs - even in London
I've never been lucky with them but I know tons of people that had them for years and it's working great for them.

[cjb]

Au pairs aren't that expensive (you need a spare room, of course, unlike a live-out nanny). Its around £45 per week (might be a bit more in London, but wouldn't be in Birmingham)

Are you not more likely to get a bunny boiler/unexperienced 17 year old at 45 squid a week?? Just surprised you can get decent help for such a small amount!

Well, you get an au pair, and all that that entails ie they are not qualified nannies, they live in (and have to be fed and housed), they only work 25 hours per week. But that is the going rate (they're not supposed to be doing it for the money, its a "cultural exchange" programme).

I would recommend, if anyone is looking, that you do specify someone with au pair experience, mainly so that they roughly know what they are letting themselves in for and it won't all be completely new to them.

[Betty Boop]

Au pairs can work out really well. However, parents have to take into consideration that there is no employment contract between you and the au pair (she/he can theoritically walk out whenever they like). Also, I think that the maximum time you can have an au pair for is two years, but on average most leave aftter 6-12 months. Another drawback is that most au pairs a young European ladies of around 18 -25 years of age who have little if any experience with taking care of children. It is vital that parents do a thorough background search of any person that they are considering taking care of their kids.


check out this site for more info:
http://www.babycentre.co.uk/refcap/541456.html#0

[Betty Boop]

Oh, and if you go for the au pair option, then try and employ him/her WELL BEFORE you start your course. Don't assume that the first au pair you employ will work out, even if his/her references and background checks seem good. Give yourself, your kids and the au pair enough time to get used to each other. At least if the au pair doesn't work out you will have time to make other arrangements.

[cjb]

I definitely agree with that. It's quite hard work settling an au pair in - they can be quite "dependent" for the first few days/weeks (fair enough!) and that's fine when yo've got nothing else to worry about but can seem like hard work when you've got a million things to do and are hours behind with study. Sometimes it can feel that you've temporarily taken on an extra child. So if you can get through that bit before you start studying, you're ahead of the game

[spacedoc69]

Have thought of the Au-pair option as well. But space has been a restriction also not sure about how easy or difficult it would be to get used to someone else in the house all the time.

Use the after school club at the moment (£22.50) a week. But finishes at 5.45, so have somebody do 12 hours a week after that and that costs £60/ week (including meal) .. don't know how reasonable that is ..