Move baby from childminder to nursery

[Cookiecrumblepie]

Am struggling with this decision so seeking thoughts from mumsnetters! My little one (baby 8 months) has just started with a childminder. It seems to be a great setting, big house, very professional, all new toys etc, only a few children. . Essentially it all appears excellent although I don't really know other than the photos and videos sent through. Also there is no CCTV (as expected with a childminder). Baby seems quite happy.

I have also received a spot with a local nursery. Nice setting, bit small, more children, cheaper and has excellent policies and CCTV 24/7. So I guess very professionally run and has a good reputation locally.

AIBU to move my baby? I am really torn with this decision, both are great settings and financially the nursery is the better option, but I do think fewer children would be better for a baby. But then I also worry about no CCTV.

So what would you do? Move your baby? Or leave with CM?

I preferred a childminder over nursery because of the home environment, amd she was able to be the next best thing to me looking after ds myself

With the caveat that my childminder was pure gold and they broke the mould with her!

I would always go for a "family" type setting for a little baby if at all possible. Why is CCTV important to you?

@CurlewKate I just think if something did go wrong, it would be helpful?! And I guess staff would be a bit more mindful of how they treat the kids knowing that they are being filmed. Was a recent news story that freaked me out a bit and I thought it was lucky the nursery had CCTV.

I know obviously I am overthinking this and 99.99% of childminders and nursery staff treat the kids perfectly well, but it's just that tiny bit of extra peace of mind.

Baby is happy and settled in a homely environment. I really wouldn’t mess with that. Nursery won’t have CCTV everywhere e.g. in the toilets so it doesn’t mean anything is safer and at least with the childminders you know exactly who is looking after your child- nurseries often have to use agency staff if they’re short staffed. I’d personally stay with the childminder and maybe look to move to nursery/preschool for the year before they start school, like lots of people do school nursery with the childminder for wrap around, just because I think at that point they benefit from the socialisation with lots more kids their age and also the more formal environment is good prep for starting school.

It's very odd to want your child filmed 24/7, you have to trust the caregiver. I'm a childminder and I'd throw myself in front of a bus to save one my mindees, I'd do anything, they are like my own children and I'm devastated when they leave. My issue with nursery is that alot of the staff don't have many qualifications or experience, they are often young, unqualified and don't care that much so yes there may be cctv but children know when someone is not being authentic. It seems unfair for the childminder and the baby to build a bond, settle in and then you move them because you are anxious. Children grow up fast and you can't control every situation, they go to school and they have to fend for themselves alot, you do really learn what's important to worry about and what isn't. Yes you here the odd horror story, but you can't live life worrying about those things happening. Personally if you are happy with the childminder, leave the baby there and focus on your work when baby is there.

Fair enough- I had my children before universal CCTV was a thing, so I can't comment on that. It just seems to me that moving a happy child because of such a vanishingly small risk is not something I would do. But you need to do what makes you feel most secure about leaving her.

Is this a new thing now that childminders should have CCTV? I used to be a childminder and it was never a thing, not that many years ago. I mean I wouldn't have minded, reassurance for myself as well as the families.

I've never known a childminder to have CCTV?

If it helps, nurseries often don’t check the cctv or use it properly. And there will always be a staff turnover which his hard for children. How long has your child been with childminder? Go with your gut.

Baby has only been with CM for a few weeks, so the settling has gone really well.

Thanks for the replies it really helps to hear different opinions.

There are pluses and minuses to childminders and nurseries, it depends what each setting is like and your priorities.

Is it more important to have a one-to-one relationship with the carer, who can be like a grandparent or relative looking after them in a home environment. A childminder would only have one baby at a time, and a handful of older children. Or do you prioritise having the additional scrutiny of more adults being around, even if it means there are multiple adults looking after multiple babies and there is less of a one-to-one relationship. Is a homely environment preferable to a more institutional nursery. Is the childminder the sort who gets out and about going to different classes, drop-in playgroups, day trips to the park and the beach, like you would at home? Or does the childminder do school runs in the car every day for older children and you'd rather your baby didn't have to tag along on those. Does the nursery have lots of free-flow time outside and also do trips or are children mostly in the same room all day. Are staff at the nursery all young school-leaver apprentices, do they regularly have to use agency staff, or are there staff there who've worked there for years and years.

CCTV won't cover every inch of the premises so if someone really wanted to do something untowards they could probably find a way, and it's only useful after the fact, so I wouldn't place a huge amount of weight on that in making a decision.

My childminder has practically become family - if you have safety concerns surely you'd not leave your baby there anyway?

I'd have a childminder until prep school age at 3-4 personally.

I did nursery for our son. I wish I had chosen childminder.

regardless once he was settled I wasn’t going to move him unless it was urgent

Childminder. It's best for babies and toddlers to create that attachment with a caregiver.

I love seeing the bond between my childminder and children. I just don't see how that could happen in a nursery.

My childminder was truly wonderful I actually was jealous at times of the relationship she had with my dc .Then gave myself a huge shake and turned it to feeling so grateful at the level of care and affection she had .
She still keeps a light contact with my grown up dc and was at their wedding .

The only recent case I've seen in the news about CCTV in a nursery was after a baby died. I would argue that the CCTV achieved nothing, it certainly didn't result in the baby being safer.

Generally speaking - if your little one is happy where they are then leave them there. Once you leave you often can't go back - so mostly I would just go with it if your little one is happy.

Some (but it all) children do start getting a bit bored/not thriving with childminder from about 2.5 or 3 years old as then they are the oldest and likely with 2 babies most of the time - that is when I moved mine to nursery and it seemed the perfect time for him. Used both for a few weeks (3 days nursery 2 CM) then gave notice as he was very happy at the nursery. He definately grew in loads of confidence from the nursery

My grandson was at a really nice nursery, one of the best in our town. We used to pick him up some days, it was always clean, plenty of toys and the kids seemed mostly happy but the thing that I noticed that really bothered me was that the staff turnover was huge, honestly it sometimes seemed that there were different girls there every month or so. I don't know if it was because they were poor employers or just because the girls were all very young and just liked to move around. I would have liked to see better continuity of care

Depends on the childminder and ages of other children.

My DD is going back to hers for a few days in the summer holiday.

CM was child led so when my DD showed interested in writing she let her.

However from 3 my DD went to nursery PT as well to be in a larger group. Some of the other mindees, similar age and also PT, just stayed with the CM as they had been sent to a nursery as babies and been treated poorly. (There are actually very good nurseries oddly right near the CMs house but you need to get your child down at birth to get them in.)

My son loved his keyworker in nursery They had an excellent bond Saw her every day ( well 4 days a week) from 6 months old till his 5th birthday Why can't it happen in nursery?

I personally preferred a nursery for my dc.

One point to consider with a childminder which I found to be a problem is their annual leave. I had two childminders for different days and they would take annual leave with no back up plan. They also both went on maternity leave at the same time!

I'd always prefer a childminder and if the baby is already settled there it seems a no brainer tbh.

Big risk, taking the baby out and risking that they don't settle at nursery.

All three of my children went to nursery and were so happy! Really strong bond with their key workers and so happy. It doesn't have CCTV and it's not something I've ever thought about to be honest.

For me it’s a go with your gut situation
Personally I would not have used a childminder,but if that is what you think is best for your child then do that