How should I find a N London CM?

[MissGolightly]

Hello, apologies for this clueless post but I am a new mum, due to go back to work in April next year. I am looking for a childminder for my little boy (who will be one in May) and basically I just don't know where to start. I rang the various councils and asked for their list of childminders and there are literally hundreds in the area (I live in Stroud Green in London, which is on the borders of N4/N8/N19 and is covered by both Harringey and Islington) - and there is so little info on the list it seems impossible to narrow it down.
Short of cold-calling the whole list, I don't know where to start looking - I don't know anyone in the area with older children so I can't ask friends for a recommendation. I have rung a few childminders at random to be told they don't have vacancies or that it's too early to start looking. On the other hand many nurseries have told me I am too late.
Basically I am wondering how other people make the choice - is there a website I could consult or any associations I could get recommendations from? I feel like this is one of the most important decisions I will make for my little boy and don't want to just pick a name at random! Any and all advice gratefully received!

Miss Golightly, hi, i understand exactly how you feel. It's a very hard choice to make. I have been a childminder and worked in nurseries, but i have also left my son in a nursery too, so i see it from both sides. And have worked with all kinds of people. When you got the lists from the council, each minder should have had a little paragraph that they have written about themselves, other than the bog standard stuff they all have. Use these to chose people you lie the sound of. And ask to come over and meet them with your child, they should agree to this. Even if they do think you are looking to early, tell them you'd like to meet them and ask a few questions, so your desision is easier when you do come to chose someone. If they refuse to meet with you and let you ask some questions then they are obviously not a minder you want your baby boy left with. You need to "interview" them. Unfortunately "cold calling" them is the only way to start, but remember, that is why they have given their numbers to the Early years team at the council to pass on. I hope this helps.

Hi PocketTasha, thank you so much for this - it's really helpful, especially your point about the people who don't want to meet obviously not being the right kind of person to care for my child. I will carry on ringing...

One question, the list I have doesn't have the little paragraph you mention, it's just literally names and numbers, plus sometimes a single remark like "large garden" or "no pets". Do you think I have somehow got hold of an abbreviated list or is this not something all local authorities include? The paragraph you mention sounds just what I need to get a feel of people.

Thanks again for your advice...

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Thanks HappyMum! I will check out the childcarelink you mention. N7 is a bit too far for me but would be glad to hear recommendations if anyone else has an N4/N8 recommendation.

Re: advertising, when do you think would be the right time to do it... a couple of months beforehand? Or is that cutting it a bit fine? I go cold with fear at the thought of scrabbling around looking for childcare at the last minute.

in case you need a link

Miss golightly

It's worth phoning the early years team and asking them about the list you have been given. but it is possible that each local authority have differnt proceedures on these things. Although i find it silly that they would give you names and nubers and no information about the minders. I understand why you are finding it so hard to contact them now. with no information. You could try contacting the local schools near where you live and see if they are prepared to recommend anyone? One thing i will say though, is you'll ust know when you've found the right minder for your son. Trust your instincts.

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If you are going down the childminder route (or nursery for that matter) you really need to visit 2 or 3 (minimum) and decide on what you see, not just what is written down. My daughters have both been to a nursery close to us (just over other side of 7 sisters rd to you, close to fp tube) if you are interested in nurseries, I can give you their details if you'd like

Thank you all - you have no idea how great it is to get these tips!

HappyMum and Looneytunes, thanks so much for the links and the tip about Surestart centres - there's one near me so I will check it out...

Bundle, I'm definitely open to the idea of a nursery, please do send me details! My worry was that my DS wouldn't get enough 1-1 attention at a nursery - did you find that wasn't a problem?

Thanks again everyone - this is enormously helpful.

I'll CAT you missgolightly.

I felt right from the beginning that my girls would thrive in a nursery environment and I was right (so far - dd2 is 3 and both girls were there from about 7 months, 3 days a week). I think the one-to-one thing is a bit hyped. most cm's will be looking after more than one child, usually of different ages. i didn't want my girls to be (potentially) plopped in front of the tv and at nursery they have planned activities and get used to being around a number (though not loads) of different carers and get used to sharing and respecting other people right from the start. it's not for everyone though, and is obviously a personal decision for each family.

surestart centres can be quite big, it depends if you'd prefer a larger nursery environment

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And in defence of childminders, one of the advantages of having a childminder is that your child does interact with children of different ages. It is usually more of a family environment.

And we don't all (potentially) plop them in front of the TV! And childminders also do planned activities!!

Bundle ed at the 'plopped in front of tv' suggestion.
I have 3 little ones each day (I have 6 little ones on my books but they are all part-time so come different days) and I give them continuing care, by this I mean it is me and only me who cares for them everytime they come and I have a very close relationship with them, I know what they like/dislike, what they like to do, where they like to go, who their family members are etc.
We do planned activities but can also be spontaneous eg I might have an activity planned but then one of the children may have found a ladybird outside so we might decide to go on a bug hunt, draw a ladybird or make a lady bird mask, find out in books about ladybirds etc.

I am not saying you should not use a nursery Missgolightly but I am trying to point out that bundles facts are not necessarily correct.

Fear not, I think most of the plopping in DS's life will be done by me. He is only 5 months and has already developed a worrying recognition for various TV theme tunes. Oh dear, is there a "bad mother" emoticon?

Seriously thanks for all input - I am open to anything and I'm more concerned about getting the right gut reaction from the place/person than anything else.

i am in stroud green too and have been through haringey and islington lists with a fine toothcomb. islington treat and train their cms better than haringey (who are crap, cis don't even answer their own phones anymore) but islington more expensive (av £60/day). if you cat me i would be happy to talk you through my experiences. it has taken me months to find someone and now i'm having a wobble but i can give you the 'benefit' of my experience and tell you where to go to watch local cms in action - and who is local islington cm co-ordinator. just shout if you want a chat! and good luck either way!

Brilliant, thank you ECATLM - I have sent you a CAT and would be huuuuuugely grateful for the benefit of your experience.

theprisoner, feeling old, my "plopped in front of tv" comment was about what could potentially happen. I know that cm's do planned activities, but I'd heard of some who do the plopping (and other things like smoking in front of them) and since having children have heard much more of this. I also know of some very good childminders (through MN and rl) but still choose to send dd2 to a nursery (dd1 is now at school) and haven't yet met a CM I'd feel 100% happy with to look after my own daughter. I also have a few friends who've had real problems with sickness wrt their CMs, which isn't such an issue with nursery.

I'm sorry if I came across as dissing all CMs, that really wasn't my intention. Good quality childcare is just that, whatever setting. The nursery I chose is a small, community one, where the carers know me and my family very well, they do spontaneous activities as well as planned ones. The different rooms mix together at points during the day so they too mix with children of different ages and abilities.

Just to clear things up a little bundle, there are good and bad childminders and nurserys.
The nursery just up the road from me do 'plonk' the children in front of the tv while they are clearing up after dinner and another nursery in my area last year had to close for 3 days due to so many staff having the flu, I however was open Monday to Friday for 50 weeks of the year (the other 2 weeks being my holiday weeks).
I am not saying you shouldn't send you children to a nursery just that lots of childminders offer excellent care too.
I think whether you are looking round nurserys or meeting with childminders gut instinct is they key, if you feel at all uneasy they are not for you.

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feeling old,
there is no need to clear up, I had already stated that good childcare happens in lots of settings.

happy mumof2, it's simply not true that it's outdated, in nursery or cm settings, I hear regularly of pretty poor practices, and feel very lucky about the choices I've made.

missg, i think i missed your cat - my fault, hadn't paid up (oops). do try again if you feel inclined!

Hi there ECATLM, I'll give it another go now! If you don't receive it try CATing me.