Hi All,

I have been back at work part-time for almost a year now and my MIL took care of my lo whilst I was at work. I had just started to research local nurseries because he is getting to an age when he needs more stimulation, then my MIL injured her back and I can't find any childcare. I have borrowed a friend's nanny for a few weeks as my friend is not working but when she goes back in a couple of weeks, I am completely stuck.

Of the nurseries near home, one has a couple of half days. One has one full day. The rest have long waiting lists ... one of them doesn't have any vacancies until next summer! I have tried a few childminders with the same results.

Tried the only nursery near work and they want to charge me £1,100 a month [for three days a week] which is just extortionate. Tried one nanny in my area who wanted an hourly rate was that was nearly as much as my hourly rate and hubby and I work long hours so I'd be paying over almost all my salary!

The government want to encourage mothers to go back to work but there seems to be a serious oversubscription in my area. I really don't know what to do. My only option seems to be to hand in my notice . Does anyone have any advice?

Could you ask for some unpaid leave temporarily until your MIL feels better? Maybe if you took some time off and the hubby did you could perhaps manage it if her injury isn't too long-term? Sorry, hard to offer any advice, but I'd try work to see if they could be flexible, even if you worked part-time temporarily? x

What about a nanny share? You pay less (as you share the cost with the other family you are sharing the nanny with) that you would for a sole care nanny, and as you're working part-time, you may find someone is more willing to share their nanny with you to reduce the cost to them. The local Netmums werbsites may have somewhere you can post (or read other posts to see if anyone else is in the same position as you). Nanny agencies will charge an introduction fee for their services.