Should I hire a nanny or send my baby to a nursery?

[Fiona2011231]

Due to our work, we would have to either hire a nanny or to send my 1-year-old baby to a nursery.

Could you pls advise which is the better option in this context?

We think a nanny would look after the child in the sense that she feeds him, plays with him, gets him to sleep, etc. While a nursery is supposed to provide a more systemic, educational environment.

My sincere thanks for your advice.

I would go with a nanny if you can afford it. One year olds don't need an educational environment, and nannies can still go to playgroups and other things for socialising.

It will be more comfortable for your baby and easier for you as well -- the first year we sent DS to nursery he was sick constantly with every bug going. The next year we sent him to a childminder and he was almost never sick.

Or a childminder?

A nanny will be more costly than a nursery, but also likely to be more flexible, might babysit occasionally too.

Nursery is more structured by nature and sociable, but a good nanny may well do this anyway.

My dc go to nursery, what I particularly like is they only close for a week each year, at Christmas. They are open regardless of whether my DC's keyworker is on holiday, ill etc.

Nurseries won't take children who are ill though, but a nanny would.

Nanny. I don't think babies need the structured learning they get in a nursery. I think they're better off with the flexibility and consistent one to one relationship a nanny can provide, in their own home.
Expensive though. Childminder can offer similar benefits at much reduced cost.

A nanny or childminder has more benefits for a baby/young toddler than a nursery. Penelope Leach was involved in a research study looking at this - nurseries offer a wider range of activities, but nannies and childminders offer more secure attachments/more positive relationships which is by far the more important thing for a baby.

What hours of care are needed? Such as 7am-5pm.
The start/finish time can rule out some options - Nurseries tend to have fixed hours.

Nanny all the way. Definitely. No question whatsoever. There are SO many advantages, for both parents and child.

I made the mistake of assuming a nursery would be more structured/educational but most contact was with people with low qualifications and low experience. Structure also included getting thirty two year olds to sit for twenty minutes at the tab,es before food served. Who needs that waste of time?

If you can afford it, a nanny.

If you can't a childminder.

I wouldn't use a nursery unless there were really no other options.

(If you want a nanny, but also to cut costs look into nanny shares or a nanny with their own child)

A nanny is definitely easier - you don't need to get the DC dressed in the morning, they can stay late if you are stuck at work, they can do the DCs laundry and tidying up and child related admin. They can also work around your DC (eg naps at different times depending on how tired they are and what you prefer) whereas nursery have naps and meals at set times generally.

A major advantage is that they will look after your DC when they are sick, which happens A LOT at this age. With a nursery you will have to take time off work as they won't take sick DCs.

With a nanny there is the risk that the nanny is sick, but that's relatively rare compared with the child being sick. You do have to cover the nanny's holidays but as long as you organise your holidays to be at the same time, that isn't an issue.

However a nanny is undoubtedly more expensive. Especially once you add "hidden" costs like their food, extra heating bills, playgroups, activities etc.

Nannies can take DC to playgroups and activities and have playdates for social purposes - though this depends on how many of these things exist in your area.

Be aware that from April you will be liable for sick pay for a nanny with no prospect of reclaiming it. This could mean up to £2500 costs if the nanny is unlucky enough to experience serious illness/operation, a broken leg etc. Plus of course the cost of additional childcare.

See my thread elsewhere on this topic: "Stealth tax for working parents?...."

This is such a shame because a nanny can be a brilliant option for all the reasons others have given.

I would definitely go for a nanny at that age rather than a nursery

I'd go for a childminder over both. Finding ours is the best decision I ever made. Why would you want to pay twice as much for a nanny? I wouldn't personally choose a nursery.

ps we pay nothing if our childminder is sick (which she hasn't ever been)

'Why would you want to pay twice as much for a nanny?'

A nanny offers a range of services a childminder can't. For example;

they come to you making the mornings/evenings easier
they care for children when they're sick
they will do nursery duties
you have far more control over what your children do/what they eat/who they see/where they go
they are there for your child(ren) only.

A nanny is the luxury childcare option. Fantastic, if you can afford it.

What are nursery duties out of interest? I get that a nanny is a luxury option just find it strange that the choice for many is so often nanny or nursery. My childminder is amazing and I think a good one is well worth considering.

Nursery duties are basically anything to do with the children that isn't childcare. For example;

Clothes - washing, drying, ironing, putting away, mending, buying, sewing name labels in, clearing out any that are too small.

School - going to any school events parents can't make, sorting out homework/projects, baking for the cake sale, making the costume for book day/nativity play etc.

Bedroom/Playroom - tidying, organising, light cleaning, changing bedding, sorting old toys etc.

Social - hosting playdates, responding to invitations, party planning, taxi driver

Health - take to doctors, hospital appointments, speech therapy, optician, dentist

Shopping - food, shoes, clothes, nappies, birthday presents (for them or for a party they've been invited to), household bits.

Extras - feed/walk the dog/cat/hamster, wait in for parcels/workmen, collect the dry cleaning, pay the window cleaner, batch cook (so you don't need to on the weekend) and more.

A nanny may not do ALL of the above, it will depend on hours/number of children etc., but that all falls in the category 'what a nanny will do that a childminder won't'.

I would always go for a childminder over a nursery. In terms of childcare, they're great, they just don't offer the extras that a nanny does.

(Once you get to two or more children a nanny is comparable or cheaper in terms of cost).

How many days a week are you talking about and how many hours per day? What are the nurseries around you like? Are there many childminders near enough to you that might have space? There is no absolute rule as to what option may be best for you; with one child I would be looking at all if the options initially. Being an employer is NOT a low maintenance option if things aren't going well. I have employed both nannies and au pairs and also used nurseries at your child's age. Our lives were least complicated with the nursery.