View Full Version : Is it possible?
Mrsjackson
18-05-2013, 08:24 PM
Hi all,
I'll be starting my local childminding reg course soon and been thinking about pregnancy and maternity etc.
If I was to become pregnant, could I take couple weeks holiday as maternity leave and have an assistant look after my mindees? Wouldn't be alone as I would be home with my own children. Do you know if its possible/ legal to have maternity leave and still have paying mindees? Just trying to figure out best way to keep mindees but still get at least a couple weeks maternity with new baby.....
How has everyone done it? Do parents come back if you take maternity leave?
Would be interested to see what everyone else has done in this situation!
Zoomie
18-05-2013, 08:34 PM
I am pretty sure that the rules surrounding maternity allowance (if you are self employed and paying NI contributions) and statutory maternity pay (if you are an employee) are that you are not allowed to be earning. There are some exceptions like keeping in touch days .... but its either KIP pay or MA/SMP not both.
If your assistant was to receive the income directly, then that might be okay, if that is the arrangement that you have with the assistant.
Surely if you are still around at home you may as well not be on maternity leave. Your assistant wouldn't be able to be alone for too long especially if more than three under five yos.
Would your parents be too inconvenienced if you were closed for a couple of weeks? They would be pretty hard nosed to deny you time after giving birth. Are there any other childminders who could help you out for two weeks?
Mrsjackson
18-05-2013, 08:43 PM
I did think it probably wouldn't be allowed but hubby posed the question to me and I knew you guys would have an answer. I would obviously love some time off if I had another baby, hubby seems to think I could manage with 2 weeks off then get back into work. I guess you don't know until you're there and how you feel depends on how quick you can get back into work.
I guess I need to cross that bridge when I come to it and stop thinking about another baby :p
supermumy
18-05-2013, 08:44 PM
If ur on maternity pay than no you can not have paying mindees as you will be classed as working and also your assistant surely needs you to be working as her boss for her to be working as she can't work alone for long
But agree if your there anyway is their any point taking maternity :)
I did think it probably wouldn't be allowed but hubby posed the question to me and I knew you guys would have an answer. I would obviously love some time off if I had another baby, hubby seems to think I could manage with 2 weeks off then get back into work. I guess you don't know until you're there and how you feel depends on how quick you can get back into work.
I guess I need to cross that bridge when I come to it and stop thinking about another baby :p
Yes you shouldn't give yourself any timescales as you don't know how you will be feeling, even after two weeks. My wife has just given birth to our second son (last Sunday), everything went well but she is obviously very sleep deprived; sleeping when baby does during the day and up at night which is not helpful when mindees will come during the day for you!
Mrsjackson
18-05-2013, 09:06 PM
Congratulations Rick :)
Either way its going to be a struggle when you have a newborn and mindees, sleep deprivation lasts longer than a few weeks so yep, it's going to be a struggle! :laughing:
So many decisions to make when you are your own boss! Though that is also the beauty, can change days or hours to suit YOU.
I think I will try making a start on Paperwork instead, much easier!
clareelizabeth1
18-05-2013, 09:15 PM
I'm into month 6 of mat leave and still don't feel like going back to work. I'm just loving seeing my ds learn about the world. Having fun just being a family.
Tazmin68
18-05-2013, 09:22 PM
Hi
When I had my youngest son because I was going to have a section I was going to take 6 weeks off. I only had two children in the ey age bracket at the time and when I did a news letter advising parents off this one parent gave notice and the other had an come to stay and help with little son while I was not working. My reason for the six weeks off was that having section would have made it more difficult to pick up mindees any earlier and technically not supposed to drive until nearer the 6 weeks post op. my only other mindees were before and after school and parent got them into before and after school club and just started work later and finished earlier as I would normally have them from 7am til 6pm and school club did not start till 8am and finish at 5.30.
Because I paid type 2 NI I claimed maternity allowance for the 6 weeks.
Mrsjackson
18-05-2013, 09:38 PM
When you register self employed do you automatically pay ni contributions that allow maternity? Or do you need to call and ask to add it on?
Sorry if I'm being a bit dim!
When you register self employed do you automatically pay ni contributions that allow maternity? Or do you need to call and ask to add it on?
Sorry if I'm being a bit dim!
You pay class 2 NI which is £2.65 a week. You can set up a direct debit or HMRC send you a bill twice a year.
Have a look at this guidance, page 4 mentions NI
http://www.childmindinghelp.co.uk/freeresources/Free%20downloads/Resources/HMRC-Childminders-Tax-2012-2013.pdf
Tazmin68
18-05-2013, 10:21 PM
There is a certain time period that you need to have been paying for before claiming maternity allowance.
littlemiss60561
18-05-2013, 10:46 PM
i took he whole 9 months off! one came back. the other 3 were taken on whilst i was pregnant so knew they wouldnt stay.
you cant work and claim. however, you are allowed a 10 day back to work settling in type thing. so i worked one day a week for the last few months off. even at 9 months i found it hard. no sleep as ds had/has reflux disease . i know and admire people that have gone back after a few weeks.