Choose your preferred backup childcare solution. Below we’ll explain how to book an emergency nursery place, hire an emergency nanny or an emergency childminder. We also explain the costs of emergency childcare.

If you want to book an emergency nursery space
If you want to hire an emergency nanny
If you want to hire an emergency childminder
How much does Emergency Childcare cost?

If you want to book an emergency nursery space

1. Enter the postcode with which you would like to locate a local nursery space. We currently have over 600 nurseries committed to the scheme nationwide with more coming on board all of the time. If there are specific nurseries you would like to see involved with this service, please contact the Emergency Childcare team at newnursery@emergencychildcare.co.uk who are only too happy to approach nurseries on your behalf.
   
   
2. Your closest nurseries are then displayed in order of proximity to your postcode. Click on a nursery for more information and to check their availability. From the information given in the registration form, your child(ren) are automatically sorted into the correct room for their age group. For simplicity only the availability of the relevant room(s) are shown.
   
   
3. If there is availability, you simply click on the icon which represents your child and then click “book now”. Subject to availability of a nursery space you can book as many days as you require and up to 3 months in advance or up until an hour before the nursery opens that morning.
   
   
4. Following this is a confirmation page where the amount owed is calculated. Once you’ve booked an emergency nursery space, you are taken to a confirmation page where you will need to check the dates, specify who will pick up your child from the nursery, set a collection password and choose how you would like the booking details sent, typically by e-mail but fax and post are also possible. You can use childcare vouchers to pay for nursery spaces arranged through the Emergency Childcare website.
   
   
5. Confirmation of the booking will be sent via email, fax or post as requested and the nursery will be alerted via text message and email. The confirmation document which you receive includes: Opening times of the nursery, a street map link on how to get there, a checklist of things which you may need to bring, as well as a hardcopy medical disclaimer which you will need to sign. The nursery receives a corresponding form which ensures that no important issues are overlooked and the child has all of the appropriate paraphernalia on the day.
   

If you want to hire an emergency nanny

1. Enter the day(s) you need an emergency nanny for and the hours required. There is a minimum booking time of 4 hours for an emergency nanny, and we endeavour to get a nanny to your house within 2 hours of booking (in office hours - 7.30am to 7.30pm Monday to Friday).
   
   
2. Depending on your geographical area (and thus hourly rate) the amount owed is then calculated. For premium times, i.e. evenings (8pm - 8am) and weekends, the hourly rate is increased by £2 per hour for an emergency nanny. Tax and National Insurance is already included in this hourly rate, and the nanny will be payrolled by the nanny agency used. If you are happy with the amount then your credit card details are taken (your credit card will not be debited at this time). Your confirmation details will be sent to you via email, fax or post as requested.
   
   
3. Your local nanny branch consultant is alerted to your booking via a text message and email. Each of the branches we work with has an emergency mobile phone which is switched on between 7.30am and 7.30pm, Monday to Friday. This is where the text message will be sent. If a booking for an emergency nanny is made in the evening it will be received first thing in the morning. The email will include all of your registration details and any other information you deem relevant for that particular booking.
   
   
4. When an appropriate emergency nanny has been sourced, the branch consultant will telephone you to discuss the nanny. Due to the often sensitive nature of emergency nanny bookings the nannies will all be of an exceptionally high standard. We expect our emergency nannies to be: over 21, qualified, CRB checked, have a first aid certificate, fully referenced and interviewed. If for any reason one of these promises can't be met, this information will be relayed to you and you can make the decision on whether you deem the proposed emergency nanny appropriate or not.
   
   
5. Once the booking has been completed, only then will your credit card be debited. This allows flexibility of hours (i.e. you may require the emergency nanny for more/less hours than previously expected) and also ensures that you are happy with the service provided before you pay any money.
   

If you want to hire an emergency childminder

1. Enter the postcode with which you would like to locate a local emergency childminder.
   
   
2. Your local childminders are then displayed in order of proximity to your postcode.
   Click on your chosen childminder for more information and to check their availability.
   
   
3. If there is availability, you simply click on the icon which represents your child and then click "book now". Subject to availability you can book as many days as you require, up to three months in advance or with as little as two hours notice.
   
   
4. You then enter the hours you require you child(ren) to be in the emergency childminder's care. There is a minimum of a four hour booking and unlike nurseries, many emergency childminders offer weekend or an extended hours service. This will vary from childminder to childminder so we recommend having a look at a number of different childminders so that you can find the one which can most accommodate your needs.
   
   
5. Following this is a confirmation page where the amount owed is calculated. Once booked, you are taken to a confirmation page where you will need to check the dates and times and choose how you would like the booking details sent, typically by email but fax and post are also possible. If you are happy with these details then your credit card details will be taken. Please note that no money will be debited from your card at this stage.
   
   
6. Once the booking has been completed, and the hours finalised, only then will your credit card be debited. This allows flexibility of hours (i.e. you may require the emergency childminder for more or less hours then previously expected) and also ensures that you are happy with the service we provided before you pay any money.

How much does Emergency Childcare cost?

We know that choosing childcare is an emotional and complex decision and for that reason we pride ourselves on always being on hand to answer any questions or concerns you may have regarding our service.

In order to provide this level of personal service to you there is a £50 fee which is to be paid at the end of registration, or before your first booking. Please note that the £50 registration charge applies to non corporate client registrations only.

Below we explain the costs of emergency childcare in the UK for different childcare solutions:

Emergency Nursery spaces

Price for a back up nursery space will vary greatly depending on the age of your child and the area in which you live.  A day's booking can vary between as little as £25 and as much as £77. On average the cost of an emergency nursery space is around £50 per day.

Emergency Nannies

The cost of an emergency nanny depends on your geographical area. As a rule of thumb prices are set at:

Some of the nanny costs will vary and to check the exact charges for your area please type in your postcode on the homepage and click the nanny option.

Emergency Childminders

Childminder's set their own prices, so an emergency childminder's hourly salary rate can range from £4.00 per hour to £15.00 per hour. Typically an emergency childminder's hourly salary rate will be about £7.00 per hour.

If you have any questions or require any further information please do not hesitate to contact us.

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