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Choosing Childcare By Sarah CruickshankChoosing childcare is always a difficult business. You may feel guilty about having to look for care outside your own home at all, but you may have no choice about needing to return to work and you might find yourself in a situation where family members are unable or unwilling to offer their support. You need to think about the kind of care you want your child to have. If you want them to be in a home environment with a few other children and one adult carer, then a childminder will probably be your best bet. A day nursery will tend to have small rooms with children divided by age and a number of nursery nurses and childcare workers in each room. You may be at the stage where your child can attend a state nursery school, where they could find themselves with thirty or forty other children aged anywhere between three and five years old. * There are a number of points to bear in mind: * What kind of care will be best for my child? * How much will the different options cost per hour/per day? * What are the opening times for the setting and how flexible are they if I need to get to work early/get held up at the end of the day, etc? * What qualifications do the staff have? * What activities do they offer the children? * What resources and opportunities can the setting offer my children? To find childcare: When you start looking for childcare providers, ask other parents for their recommendations, this really is one of the most useful ways of finding out what providers are like. If you are new to an area, start with www.childcarelink.gov.uk/ which will bring up local providers and also contact you local Children’s Information Service (CIS), the number will be in the Yellow Pages or try schoolsfinder.direct.gov.uk/ Use your internet search engine to look for nursery websites and inspection reports. Obviously, websites are going to show the best on offer, and inspection reports will give you a snap shot, but you really need to visit a place and see if you and your child feel happy with the setting and the staff. Do everything in your power to talk to parents who are already using the setting to find out their experiences. Once you have made your decision on childcare, arrange for your child to make a couple of settling in visits. This is standard practice so that your child is familiar with the place before they start formally. Make sure your child knows when they’re going to start at the setting and try to help them be as independent as you can (wiping their own bottom, putting their own coat and hat/gloves on. Don’t worry too much about academic stuff – getting them used to socialising and being with people other than you is key. Also, don’t make too much of their first day, as it wont be their last! Even if you’re feeling bad about leaving your child, be positive and smiley when you drop your child off, a kiss a hug and an “I’ll see you later”, and then make your retreat. Yes, your child might cry, but they quickly settle once you’ve gone! Or, they could give you a quick wave and disappear into a whole new world. More information on Childcare is available from the government website - direct.gov.uk |
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