When do you sort out childcare?

[Hollyhop17]

My DS is 5 weeks old and I am planning to be off for a year at the momemt. So we have finances in place but I need to be working again by July 2018. I am unsure at the moment if I will be going back part time or full time (need a new job, not going back to the old one).

I am currently in South Norwood, London but what is making this slightly more complicated is that we are moving next year to be closer to family, so not sure how long I will need childcare here for.

So my question is, if I want to put him in a nursery, how far in advance do I need to find one/register?

Finally, any tips for South Norwood?!

TIA

[thethoughtfox]

Do it now. Most good ones have waiting lists and lots of parents sign up now or even when when baby is still a bump!

[RidingMyBike]

I registered mine at 8 weeks old for starting at first birthday. - south east England.

I'd seen friends spend half their maternity leave stressing about finding childcare so wanted to get it sorted. I looked round a couple and went with my gut feeling - it's been brilliant so far!

[namechangedforthisreply]

Not from the area but I would also suggest looking now, one nursery I looked at has a waiting list of over 12 months due to the number of parents to be who has older siblings already there!

[mindutopia]

I would have a look soon and just ask the nurseries about their waiting lists. We don't live in London and in fact live in a fairly quiet and rural part of the countryside (we don't have many nurseries, but we also have mostly old people, not young families), but I started to look/booked our place when my daughter was about 6 months and she started at 9 months. If you know things are much more competitive, I think start as soon as you are able.

[brayd]

My nursery is booked up until Jan 2019. Soon as parents find out they're expecting they put their name down. So as soon as possible!

[WaxyBean]

I used a lovely childminder in south Norwood - pm me if you want a recommendation.

[welshweasel]

Totally varies by area. I signed my DS up when I was 18 weeks pregnant and was lucky to get a place in time for me going back to work, and there's currently a year's waiting list.

[Lules]

Everyone always says you have do it ages in advance but I haven't found it a problem. There's such a turnover in London with people moving that places seem to come up quite quickly. But it usually doesn't cost much to register so I suppose you might as well start looking.