Please help me choose between childminder and nursery

[bunnybunyip]

Hi,
I had my heart set on a childminder for my DS and DD but I'm having trouble finding one that ticks all the boxes and now I'm not sure whether to go for a nursery. I can't find a CM at all that will pick up from DS's school that he will start at next year, so it will be all change again next year whatever we go for .

Pros of nursery:
Better location for home and work.
DS (3) seemed to prefer it.
Much cheaper (because of the 15 hours free a week for DS, will be up to £2000 a year cheaper )
Not being ferried about on school runs etc
No worries about CM being ill/on holiday.

Pros of CM:
DS can carry on at his preschool more easily, which he loves.
May be better for DD (aged 12 months) to have more one to one care.
The 2 of them are kept together.
They can go out and about and do more "homely" things.
A bit more flexible if we ever have to be late picking up (but £££).

I know there is no real answer, just thought it might help to chew it over.
Thanks.

Perhaps it may help to say what hours/days of childcare you are needing. I would presume you want 8am-6pm Mon-Fri... but do you want that?

While you can't find a childminder who currently collects from the school your DS is likely to attend, if you found a childminder near the school who didn't do any other school runs, maybe they would do it come Sept 2013.

I presume you have ruled out having a live-in nanny, and live-out nanny.

Nursery sounds like your current solution but it won't work come Sept 2013, so between now and then you need to keep looking at other childcare options - maybe a new childminder will register who does tick all the boxes including collecting from the school.

I have to declare an interest, being a childminder myself.

Have you looked for a childminder who takes the vouchers? Many can.

I also wonder why you are concerned about your children going on school runs. I walk to school every day and it's a great opportunity for lots of lovely learning. Most of my mindees and my own children have really enjoyed the school runs.

I think you're right that you won't get an answer on here. My advice would be to keep looking until you find a setting that feels right. Your instincts will tell you when you've found the right place. Maybe the reason you're wavering is that you've not found the right place yet.

I think you need to go with your instincts. I can tell you what I'd prefer and the next poster can tell you the polar opposite, but different things are important to different people.
On the arguments you list, some CMs are registered to take the 15hours - not all as you have to be accredited, but it's not true that none do.
One I'd throw in for you, is thet IME CMs are more willing to be flexible for an older sibling, whilst they are looking after the pre-schooler (think training days and other school closures). They will also take children until they are much older - IME, Nurseries will take out of schoolers until they are 8 only.

FWIW I think school runs are a very positive thing. My little ones are always eager and excited to be going to get the "big kids" (including siblings) from school, and to share with them their news of the day and vice versa. The familiarity with the journey, school and playground give the little ones confidence and enthusiasm when it comes to their turn to start. I also agree with Timandra that the journey itself can be made into a fun outing, and often combine it with a trip to the park or have a ltlle picnic instead of coming straight home for snack - and of course it's fresh air and exercise.

I agree about school runs, my pre schoolers love going they all have other friends they play in the playground with, one of their mums drove past school the other day and said he was shouting school and wanted to get out of the car!

And some childminders do offer the 15 hours of funding. Your local families information service will be able to give you a list.

There is one very important thing about c/ms that no one has mentioned...we offer continutiy of care...from babies to 11 years!!!
It is a privilege to look after babies and watch them grow until they finally leave our settings to go into secondary school...no nursery can offer that kind of continuity....
it is not just a question of 'attachment' but getting to know those children very well..after they leave at age 11 they always come back and keep in touch with those c/ms who have nurtured them through the years!!

I chose childminders for my DCs for continuity of care. I wanted them to be in a family/home environment with someone that they could form an attachment to.

DS was with the same fantastic minder from 2.5 until he left to go to secondary school. He got one to one care (and cuddles) as well as 'big brothers' in the firm of her 3 DS's. As he got older, he got to interact with younger ones that followed and is consequently very patient with younger children. I think he'll make a great dad

TBH the nursery option sounds better, especially if its cheaper.

As a parent and a childminder myself. I don't believe in choosing a child care setting because they are cheaper as its the care of the children that I would look for as a parent

Hi
Childminders are flexible, can offer continuity of care, can tailor learning to your child, can offer free places to 3 and 4 year olds (like preschools can), can be the most affectionate form of childcare, can have small groups for shy kids yet can attend large groups for outgoing kids, can take children swimming, can go and watch the Olympic torch when it comes through town, can stay in when the child feels off-colour, can continue attending groups you always went to together........ I could carry on (Im a childminder)

I couldnt decide other than I didnt want 4 days in a nursery and initally at 9mths old used a childminder 3 days a week and then at 13mths upped my days to 4 days and used nursery one day a week then at 18mths changed childminders due to ours being due a baby and the one we found could only do a tues and fri so changed nursery days and upped to 2 days so he now does tues- cm, wed and thur- nursery and fri- cm (i have mon off) and works well, in between childminders he had 3weeks of just nursery with husband and I taking the other 2 days off to settle him with new childminder.

I love the choice of both when he is at nursery I dont have to rush out of work as I finish at 4pm and nursery doesnt close til 6pm so if running late doesnt matter whereas childminder I pay til 4.30/5 (daily rate from 07.30) so make sure I leave on time,

He goes to some lovely places with the childminder- I like the school run, nipping to shops, post office etc. Yesterday they went to a childminder toddler group at a childrens centre then locally there was an art exbhition at a country park and she likes art so they went there (she only had him yesterday and he is now 21mths) and had some lunch, he made a magnet- all part of the art thing and then played in the park and sandpit so had a lovely day - she then apologised she hadnt asked me or got me to sign it was ok to take him and I said dont worry I trust her to go to places that are suitable and will sign a generic thing if it makes her life easier.

Nursery I feel is more structured in that food and sleep and acitivties happen at the same time every day which I do like but I like the flexibility as well of as above if something fun is going on a later nap can happen.

I absolutely agree about the whole 'going on the walk to school / to the post office / to the shop / out to a local country park / arts centre / playgroup or toddler gorup or CMs group etc., makes for a much more interesting day for the dcs, and also much closer to being at a 'home from home'. I visit a lot of Nurseries on my work, and, although there are loads of lovely staff in virtually all of them doing their best, I can't help thinking there's something a bit depressing about all being in the same room from 7.30 - 5 each day, and only having the outdoor space through the patio doors to move to, from the bay / toddler / pre-school room. Mine went to CMs and were out and about all over the place far more than they would have been had they been home with me probably.

Thanks all for your comments. I think the ideal is a childminder, but I haven't found the right one yet. None of the ones in my immediate area (so those that would do school runs to DS preschool and future school etc) have availability. Therefore alot of the advantages (e.g. continuity of care, getting used to the school etc) don't apply. I am thinking of using a nursery and putting the children on a waiting list for a childminder, but that would mean lack of continuity in their care. I just wish there was a lovely childminder living up the road from me!

It's only for 3 days a week by the way.

Sharing my experience...from DS being 11 months the 2 of mine went to nursery 3 full days. DD started at 10 months, when DS was just over 3. They loved it and we knew and loved the staff. Then the nursery shut, and they were given places in the 'sister' nursery in another town. benefits were we already knew many of the staff and how the nursery operatoed.However, the commute wasn't practical long term, so we decided we'd move both when DS started school (about 4 and a half) and DD was 2. We put her name down for a fantastic, closer nursery, that was the easy bit, and then looked for after school care for DS. No after school clubs really, so we looked at CMs. There wasn't a lot of choice, in fact there was only one who did semi decent hours and picked up from school. We went to see her and she was fantastic. When I was chatting both DCs ran off to play with the toys, and on a whim I asked whether she'd be able to look after DD as well. She called me back later and said she would, so we cancelled the nursery place and have never looked back. All the reasons you say applied in our case - there was only one pick up (2 drop offs as DS goes to breakfast club, but DD will too when she starts school). I liked the thought of them being together after school, instead of seeing each other at 6pm. I liked only 'dealing' with one childcare provider instead of two. I really like her and so do the children - she has a dd in ds's class, so for him it's like going to a friend's house after school. She is so much more flexible than nursery (at one point DH broke his leg and couldn't drive though he could look after them. She dropped them off at home for us) and more responsive to their needs (not a criticism of nrseries, I didnt have any complaints when they were there). She doesn't accept childcare vouchers, but does term time only so probably works out cheaper all in all.
I know every situation is different, but I have had the same dilemma, picked the CM and have been very happy.

I had the same dilemma but in the end went with CM. During the working week, my son (now 2.5yrs) goes to CM 2 days, my parents have him for 1 day & I have him for 2 days. Then he is with myself & hubby during weekend.

I am very happy with CM but do think he would have benefitted from the routines in place at a nursery, having said that though I like the fact that he's in a homely environment & the CM really does seem to love him. I also think school runs etc are good for him.

The two main things that helped me decide were cost (CM a lot cheaper for me due to the hours I require - I pick up at 3.45pm) and the fact that I started noticing the nursery staff standing outside smoking pretty often. Nothing against smokers but I didnt want him being cared for by smokers - just my personal preference. I could have looked at other nurseries but to have used a different one would have meant journey to work/nursery becoming a nightmare - plus obviously may still have smoking issue.

I would go with your gut instinct, I dont think theres a right or wrong answer!

I like the idea of the children being out and about more, but saying that the nurseries in my village take the children out for a walk / buggy ride every day. Could you combine the care? Some nursery, some childminder?

I have to add that some schools have the same teachers throughout, also giving continuity.

Having peers around more can be more fun for them too.

Ive seen a cm who lives close and have never seen the kids laugh- they just 'do'. Saying that there is the odd excellent cm who are more passionate. Do a lot of research first. I know a good cm when local mums are using her and the kids stay.