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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

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Original poster

Timing of childcare during the year

7 replies

Joannezipan · 17/03/2011 14:49

Hi,

I'm due to have my first child in June this year. The current plan is that I'm going to return to work more or less full time in January or February 2012. I have been in touch with nurseries in my area and have been told by all of them that places are allocated in September and therefore I won't be able to have a place for my baby :( The baby will only be 2 1/2 months old in septemeber 2011 which is far too soon to be putting them in nursery, but I can't stay at home until september 2012 as that will be more than my maternity leave, plus we just can't afford it!

So I'm going to look into childminders, but is having to start in september a problem i'm going to encounter with childminders as well or are they more flexible in terms of when you can start?

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moogster1a · 17/03/2011 15:12

Childminders will take on a child at any time of the year as long as they have a space. For a small baby a childminder is ofen the better option anyway as they will get much more individual attention in a home environment.
I'm amazed that nurseries only allocate places in September. They're not schools!

jaffacake79 · 17/03/2011 15:49

It depends on how subscribed the nursery is. Some do staggered intake but some now only do a September intake due to numbers.

A childminder will take on children at any point during the year if they have spaces.

Original poster

Joannezipan · 17/03/2011 15:49

They said it was because that's when their oldest ones leave so that means everyone can move up a room making the bottom rooms avalible. But it is rubbish!

OP posts:

thebody · 17/03/2011 16:56

September is a good time to be looking for a cm place.. I am taking on a new baby in Sept as one of my mindees is starting school..

You may need to give the cm a deposit to keep the place open for you which will be non returnable if you change your mind further down the line..

most of the nurserys round by me do September only as well..

Original poster

Joannezipan · 17/03/2011 17:19

thebody - that's all very well, but what about those of us that can't take up places in september? Its not like babies are only born at one point in the year!

OP posts:

Ripeberry · 17/03/2011 17:27

Remember a CM can't take a deposit until the child is actually born and it would usually be a month's deposit

Rudgey · 17/03/2011 19:08

Myself and all the cm in my area take on children as and when they spaces. If cm only takes on in September, does that mean that all parents are committed to pay for child till the following September intake??

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