Having worked in the field of childcare recruitment since 2007, we’ve noticed that the world of temporary childcare offers a range of benefits you don’t necessarily find with more permanent roles.

Flexibility

Temporary work is very flexible and can work around any other life commitments you may have. We have a large team of temporary childcare staff at KiddyKare who can change their hours/days weekly to fit around other commitments. So, if you need the ability to change the days/hours you work, this could be a great role for you. We also have staff members who work on a fixed Rota each week due to permanent weekly commitments such as the school run, so no matter your situation temporary work is an option.

Gaining Experience

Working flexibly as a temporary staff member within many nurseries, can really help you to experience a range of different settings and finding out how they can all work differently. We find a lot of people really enjoy seeing how different settings work daily, the individual features each setting has and the routines they have created. This can really help you find a setting you like in case you ever feel you would like to work within the setting on a permanent basis.

Benefits

As a temporary worker you are still entitled to all the legal entitlements of a permanent worker. If you would like to find out more about this, please give KiddyKare a call on 01628675828 or go to the pension page on the KiddyKare website.

A foot in the door

We find attending a nursery as a temporary staff member helps you prove yourself to them. If you are a great team member and work hard to support the setting they will request you again next time, which always helps with getting as much work as possible. This means you are also able to show them how hard working, reliable and driven you are. Proving this to a nursery really improves the chances of them requesting your again, or even offering a permanent role in the future.

Meeting a range of people within your work field

While being a temporary worker you will work with a range of nursery teams including Nursery Practitioners, Room Leaders, Management teams and more! We find it is always a great way to meet new people and build a professional network. Building this network is particularly helpful if you do want a permanent role and need to attend an interview. Recognising a familiar face always make the process a lot less nerve-wracking.

Freedom

Finally, I wanted to touch on the freedom of temporary work. If you fancy a last-minute holiday, have emergency plans or are just feeling spontaneous this role gives you the freedom to do so.

If you do think this kind of role would be perfect for you, please do get in contact with the KiddyKare team. We are on hand to answer any questions you may have or provide the documents needed to sign up!

Call us on 01628675828 or email us on team@kiddykare.co.uk

Returning to work after having your children

February 25, 2020

When it comes to returning to work after having children, I’m sure you have your questions about how it’s going to work, and that’s perfectly normal. We have parents calling us all the time, trying to juggle the work and childcare balance. So here at Kiddykare we decided to write this blog post to answer some of those questions, but to also let you know that you’re not alone.

When is the best time to return to work?

I think this question has a different answer for everyone. There will never be a time when it will be an easy transition with no hiccups, however, on this one, trust your instinct. Maybe you had a planned amount of time you were going to take off, but that doesn’t work for you anymore; or maybe you want to go back to work sooner than you thought, that’s ok too.

Here at KiddyKare we believe that if you’ve made the right decision for you, there is nothing to worry about.

So, now you’ve decided to return to work; what about childcare?

This is one of the key decisions you must make when returning to work. Should I use a Nursery, a childminder, a family member or a nanny? There are so many options that it can get a little overwhelming. After talking with lots of parents, the top three things you need to do appear to us to be;

1. Explore every option

Weigh up the pro’s and con’s of each option, and then pick the option you feel most happy and comfortable with.

2. Start to think about this sooner rather than later

Whatever you do, don’t leave it until the last minute. As most childcare options get booked up fast, we wouldn’t want you to miss out of your favourite one. This could also help to make it a far less stressful experience.

3. Be sure to have a back-up plan

Have a plan B just in case your chosen option one doesn’t work out for you. We really wouldn’t want you to be left with any option at all.

Next, let’s sort out your work life.

We want to keep the transition as smooth as possible, but also as exciting as possible. We know you’ll miss spending everyday with your child/children but just think how much fun they’ll be having, experiencing new things with their new friends every day.

To make this transition as smooth as possible, we suggest having trial days with your childcare option of choice before you start back to work. This makes it less stressful for you, as by the time you start work, you are happy that your child is settled and happy.

You will also need to think about the hours you’re able to work. You may even be you’re able to work shorter days, or work from home occasionally. Luckily for everyone, the UK is becoming more positive about providing flexible working patterns for people who sometimes need the flexibility in their working week. Also, don’t forget to check out funding options and childcare vouchers that you may be eligible for to help with monthly costs.

Once you’ve sorted out your work pattern and settled with your new childcare option, it’s time to start work. This is probably the scariest part, what if you’ve forgotten everything you ever knew? What if you don’t know anyone anymore? Don’t worry. All these things come with time. Give it a couple of weeks and you’ll be back into the swing of things. Alongside a couple of other new colleagues who were probably feeling the same as you.

Lastly, let’s make sure to keep a good work/life balance.

Remember the first couple of months may be hard while you try to create a schedule and there will be a bit of trial and error. However, once you’ve got into the rhythm of it, you’ll be back into the swing of family time on the weekends. Just remember that doesn’t always have to mean busy days out. Your children will appreciate time with you, whether that’s a day trip to the seaside or a walk around the local park.

Also, please remember that if you ever need any help finding your perfect role, just give us a call on 01628675828. We are always here to help with friendly advice or just a quick chat.

How to make a good impression as a Temporary Nursery Nurse or Assistant

February 25, 2020

A temporary role doesn’t have to remain temporary for ever. Starting as a temporary nursery assistant will allow you prove yourself to the nurseries and may well turn into a permanent role within your favourite setting.

That is why at KiddyKare, we encourage all of our temporary staff to use their daily nursery experience to learn as much as they can whilst working, because the best place to gain real experience and expertise is in a real-world environment.

We pride ourselves on the temporary team we have here at KiddyKare. They may work flexible days and hours but that does not stop them from being the flexible, reliable, helpful and strong members of staff that every nursery team needs.

Ultimately, whether you would like a permanent role or not, it’s still always nice to be remembered as a happy and helpful team member, and the positive impact you made. You never know, you may need that recommendation or reference soon.

So, here are Kiddykare’s top tips for becoming a great Nursery worker:

1. Prepare

The day before you start, make sure you know where the nursery is, how long it will take you to get there. and the route you’ll take. Even looking at things like parking spaces or the closest train station can help you out massively during the morning rush and its one less thing to worry about.

2. Be on-time

Try your hardest to be on time: we all know that sometimes the unlucky traffic jam can make it very hard however time keeping makes a very good impression- Especially in a very busy nursery setting.

3. Keep a positive attitude

We all have bad days, and once people know you, they’ll be able to differentiate between those days. However, when you’re making a first impression with a new nursery team or trying to support a busy nursery team, it’s best to remain positive and helpful in all situations no matter how stressful they may be. The best thing they could receive is a friendly, smiley and positive temporary nursery assistant.

4. Always ask Questions and use your initiative

For us this is top priority, doing things before someone has to ask, is a godsend. Some days you just don’t have five minutes to ask someone to do something, so if you’re able to use initiative before being asked that’s great.

5. Two ears – one mouth: Listen, and take on any feedback you receive in a positive manner. Don’t be offended if someone asks you to do something differently next time; it just means that next time you’ll get it right. Improve on the first time and that will make you look great. So, take on board any feedback and put it straight into practice.

6. Above all, enjoy yourself. Doing something a job you enjoy is very rewarding, so in addition to all our other tips, make sure you enjoy yourself and make your working day a positive experience.

Interview and CV tips

January 23, 2020

Looking at starting a new childcare role within the new year?

Are you trying to find that new challenge you have been craving?

Here at KiddyKare we can’t wait to be able to help you out. If you are looking for a step up or an entry level position we are here to help. Please do get in contact with us to speak to a qualified consultant about your job search. In the meantime, please do read below our CV tips and interview tips for help with your new year roles!

Kiddykare’s Top 5 CV Tips

Make sure to always check your spelling.
Try to keep your CV simple, but informative. Please do try to avoid text boxes and fancy boarders!
Please don’t forget to add your contact details – A telephone number and email address are a must on your updated CV.
Adding dates to your CV employment history is a great help for potential recruiters, it makes referencing a lot easier when we know your start and end date.
Lastly your short, snappy personal statement is a great way to catch the attention of your new potential employer.

Kiddykare’s Top Interview Tips

First impressions count, make sure you are always looking smart and presentable.
Please do always make sure you are confident in the answers you give. Clear and concise answers will make you look like you have done your research.
Keep good eye contact throughout the interview with positive body language. Avoid crossed arms as much as possible as this can give of a bad signal.
Do research about your potential employer and the job role you are applying for. The best place to find out relevant information about the company is on their website.
Always make sure you ask questions about the role or company at the end of the interview. Preparing some questions in advance is always a good idea!

If you have any questions about our tips or job roles, please do get in contact.

If you feel like you need help with your CV or interview confidence, just give our consultants a call on 01628675828.

We are always more than happy to help!

Kiddykare team

Is your social media affecting your job search?

January 23, 2020

As you probably already know, social media plays a very large part of today’s world but what you may not know is that it can play a large part in your job search.

I mean after all why wouldn’t someone do some online research into someone they’re going to interview? Tapping into social media provides an insight into how someone is as a person. If they’re going to be the face of your company, you would want to know that they are going to wear it well. Right?

Nevertheless, it doesn’t have to be a negative. As social media now plays such a large part in our lives, you can use it to your advantage. That’s where I come in. By making a couple of changes to how and what you post, your social media could improve your chances of securing your dream job.

Let’s start with the biggest part of your social media, your profile picture. Now I know how easy it is to pull a funny face and put it up as your profile picture to make all your friends laugh. However, in these circumstances it’s probably best to stick a nice, clear picture of your face.

Now to follow up on that new profile picture, we should probably write a small bio. It doesn’t need to be an essay; but it might be quite nice to list your favourite hobbies and activities. We might need to miss out the drunken nights and 3 am visits to the chip shop.

Next let’s have a look and go through your social media feeds to get rid of anything that you wouldn’t want your future employer to see. Once you’ve done this, going forward try not to post anything you wouldn’t want them to see.

Kiddykare Team

The benefits of temporary childcare recruitment

The benefits of temporary childcare recruitment

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It’s flexible

On going cover while you recruit

A fresh view

Discover staff never knew you needed

Try before you buy

The benefits of a temporary childcare role with KiddyKare