Childminder for school drop-offs/pick-ups?

[Miss Vintage]

I've just been told that our son didn't get a place at breakfast or after school club at his new school, and I don't know how we're going to manage without it. My partner and I both work full time with no option to reduce hours. Does anyone know if you can get a childminder to do just the drop-offs and pick-ups? Is this common? The added pressure is that I don't drive so it would need to be someone who could pick him up from us and drop him off, or who was really close by. I'm panicking a bit as I really don't know what to do if we can't get anyone, and I don't know where to start to look for a childminder. Any help gratefully received!

 

[pa2k84]

wow that miust be hard for you how do they think working parents will cope without enough before and after school places!?
I know around here that childminders do have children for drop offs and pick ups, i would suggest getting contact details for local list holder who can hopefully point you in the right direction.

 

[MindUtopia]

Yes, there are definitely childminders who do exactly this and I would call and speak to a few and see what your options are. Though you might run into trouble with the need for a pick up and drop off. Unfortunately, what I've heard is they often still charge you for the full day since it's hard for them to fill the hours in between, which makes it prohibitively expensive for a lot of people.

Is there any way you could stagger your hours? So one of you does drop offs and works later and one goes to work early and does the afternoon pick up? Our school doesn't have breakfast club and there are no after school clubs for reception, so that's what my husband and I are doing. Do you know any other parents there? I know a few who hire a part time nanny who basically collects both of their kids each day and they share the cost. Alternatively, it might unfortunately be cheaper for one of you to try to reduce your hours, rather than spending so much on childcare. I realise now how lucky my parents were to have grandparents around to do these things!

 

[Miss Vintage]

Thank you both for your replies. I've contacted a few childminders, no joy yet. We're really stuck as neither of us really have the option to stagger hours to that extent. Drop-offs are possibly an option, but I work an hour away from home, my partner nearly 2 hours, so to stagger hours to the extent that one of us is able to leave to pick him up at 3.15 would mean either I leave work at 2.15, or my partner at 1.15. At that point we're basically working part time as I'm not allowed to start working any earlier than 8. Again, I can't reduce hours in my job so it would rather be career suicide. My partner might possibly have the option, I'll have to see if he will consider it.

I spoke to the school club people and they have said our son is on the waiting list and by December last year they were able to offer places to all children on the list. Not sure how, as it requires children to drop out of the club, but I have everything crossed that it will just be a temporary pain!