to think there just isn't enough blimming childcare available? (big rant)

[jumpjockey]

So we're all supposed to be going back to work after a year's maternity leave (or less) to keep the economy going, avoid de-skilling, etc etc.

I've got a list of the available childcare at nurseries in Cambridge - there's a total of about 650 places in the nurseries listed within the city (ie not a 3 or 4 mile drive in the wrong direction), which includes all ages up to 5. If we assume that the kids are spread evenly across the age groups, that means about 150 places max for babies in each year group. All of these nurseries (with the exception of a couple which got unsatisfactory ofsted reports) say they have no places until September 2010.

I've got a list of the childminders within a 3 mile radius of my home and work. There are 33 of them - say about another 100-150 places.

The local state provided nursery school places start at 2.5 years.

So what do the rest of us do in the gap between end of maternity leave and start of state childcare? It's not as if Cambridge is a small place, why is there such a total dearth of childcare?

(family members not available, before anyone asks - we have been on several waiting lists since before DD was born last December so it's not as if we've left it horrendously late to start looking either)

I agree, there is not enough in many parts of the country

This problm has seriously affected the hours/type of job I have been able to do in my career

It is still limiting me and my kids are 14 and 10 !!

I had to give up a fab job last year because they relocated and I was completely unable to find childcare that would have fitted around the extra travelling time. And believe me, if it had been there, I would have found it!

most childminders seem to have loads of vacancies though
it's a wierd one

bigchris - not the childminders round here apparently

I've just applied for a place for my unborn child at our campus nursery (in Cambridgeshire), and have heard that I'm unlikely to get a place. It's all a bit worrying, as there appears to be sod all child care in Bishops Stortford (where we live), so what the hell are we supposed to do with our baby? We're already thinking about nannies, but it's just so sodding expensive, and I'd rather have my baby near me at work, or at least in a group of kids, than being looked after on his own.
So I'm in agreement with you - where are all the childcare places in this area?!

The biggest problem my friends seem to have here (gtr manchester) is lack of childcare for teens and the cost during holidays of any childcare and I think this is where people like me (sahm) end up with loads of kids here most of the day - obviously I dont charge but sort of 'build up' favours - I looked after a neighbours child for a few days over summer and in return my dc got driven to school every day.

Its very different from the community that I grew up in primarily i think because of all the rules and regulations these days - I remember when my mum went to work we went to Auntie Sheilas,no relation to us but a neighbour who would look after us.

Actually my ds was quite surprised one day when I helped a rather drunk man out in town one day - he had no money so I paid for his taxi home (hes from a very rough family)- ds said why mum? i said he was my childminder when I was small -mum no way is he ofsteded laughed my ds.

nicks, I too am in Gtr Manchester

wrap-around/holiday care for school-age children is a joke

Apparently childminders are packing up because the paperwork etc is making it difficult to enjoy the job any more. So the knock on effect will be over-subscribed nurseries I would imagine.

I can think of 4 nurseries in Bishop's Stortford, are they all full? Or not up to scratch? I don't know anyone who's used them so can't comment on what they're like.

a lot of the problem is a Childminder can only have one child under the age of 1 (unless they have a variation) so baby spaces are limited.

And lots of CM's have given up in the last year since EYFS came in.

hocuspontas - I found 3 online, but 2 are not actually in BS, they are in surrounding villages - what are the 4 you can think of? it may just be my pg brain meaning that I've not looked in the right place!

arolf check here put in your post code and all available childcare will come up.

Right - just checked my facts. One I was thinking of actually closed a while ago. Thorley one is Busybees and there's one on St Michael's Mead. Yes - Takeley Montessori was the other one I was thinking of - so not quite in the town. I live south of BS where we have two and another one opening IIRC but that is in the opposite direction from Cambridge so not much use!

yanbu