3 year wait for nursery! WTF

[Mamajules43]

I applied for nursery 18 months ago and have been told it will be next Sept 2022 that we get a place!

AIBU to think our place was given to someone else?

That's nuts and definitely doesn't sound right. Can you apply for a different nursery? A lot nurseries don't have waiting lists at all where I am and the busy ones might make you wait until September at the worst. 3 years sounds extreme.

I’m a childminder and I also have a waiting list until September 2022. Many settings have collapsed from the pandemic so spaces are tight in many areas. When’s did you want the space to start? They may well have taken on children that needed an immediate start if they had availability. It doesn’t make sense to leave spaces empty.

That sounds normal round here. Once DC1 started, they told me to apply for DC2 when I was still pregnant and to give them the name when born so they could update the form.

Which nursery?

Do you live in walthamstow?

That's reassuring. I needed him to start as soon as they could have him really so I don't think they back filled my space?

No, not Walthamstow. Surely kids go to school tho and that frees places up.

They've only got 63 spaces so they said they're tight

In my small town you have to put children’s names down for nursery pretty much at birth for them to be able to go at 3 as places are so limited.

Ok so it’s a day nursery rather than a preschool or school nursery? Children will be moving on to school but the spaces will be freed up in the baby room as the toddlers they already have will become the new preschoolers (and babies move to toddler room) etc.

We had ds on 5 nursery lists and only one ever had a space become available. Have you spread the net to other nurseries and childminders?

I think it was because we only initially wanted 3 days a week and they prioritised those that wanted 5 days as that was the best use of their resources and brought in more money. Which is reasonable as they are a profit making business.

@GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat

Ok so it’s a day nursery rather than a preschool or school nursery? Children will be moving on to school but the spaces will be freed up in the baby room as the toddlers they already have will become the new preschoolers (and babies move to toddler room) etc.

Yes it's just a private nursery

@WeAllHaveWings

We had ds on 5 nursery lists and only one ever had a space become available. Have you spread the net to other nurseries and childminders?

I think it was because we only initially wanted 3 days a week and they prioritised those that wanted 5 days as that was the best use of their resources and brought in more money. Which is reasonable as they are a profit making business.

We had put one morning a week or full time! Whatever you could give us 🙈

I am a childminder my waiting list is at least a year long. Some parents contact me before the child is even born. If there aren't many child are options in your area unfortunately the lists are long.

I’m a bit confused - in your first post you said you applied 18m ago then you say you wanted him to start as soon as they could have him - so when did they tell you they couldn’t take him until 2022? Did they tell you that when you applied 18m ago?

I was a childminder, I had people ask for spaces before birth! One at just 10 weeks pregnant!! I refused as so much can happen. But it's commonly asked

Literally every nursery around here is accepting within weeks of application!
I’d have a meltdown if It took that long to arrange 😂

So you put him in the list 18 months ago presumably at say 6 months minimum as you said you wanted him in ASAP so he's now at least two and it's another 18 months wait so he'd be eligible for school nursery? Where's he been for the last 18 months? Is your name down for your local infant school and nursery?

This doesn't surprise me since I learnt that some nurseries actually have kids on waiting lists that haven't even been born yet!!

We had to sign DS up for his very popular nursery at 7 weeks old (to start at 13 months), and even then we didn't get the right days for the first month he attended - most people signed their DC up at birth.

Generally if you're not wanting your DC to start straight after mat leave it's harder to get a place, as nurseries will obviously prioritise children who want full time places from 9-12 months old. Then they can more easily forecast demand and plan staff ratios as children move up through the rooms and then leave to start school.

You have to put them down pregnant here. Getting my twins anywhere was a nightmare.

Weird. It’s not like that here. I sorted my place out 9 months ahead but there were loads of places so could have left it later.
There are limits on funded places so they are a bit harder to get though.

@ChessieFL

I’m a bit confused - in your first post you said you applied 18m ago then you say you wanted him to start as soon as they could have him - so when did they tell you they couldn’t take him until 2022? Did they tell you that when you applied 18m ago?

They told me a few days ago that they couldn't take him till Aug 2022. I was a promised a place this year! They said they would definitely have a place - I said I'd take it whenever one came up!