Please help me with this decision

[StripyDeckchair]

I need childcare for DS when he will be 11 months and I go back to work. I'm hoping this will be max 3 days a week with family helping out. In an ideal world I think the right choice for me would be to stay at home with him until he is 2 and go back to work then but that's just not possible financially and because the kind of job I have is incredibly specialised. I couldn't just step out and step back in again.

We visited 4 nurseries and narrowed it down to 2.

Nursery 1 is a community nursery, run by the council. It has a 'good' report from Ofsted (3 yrs ago). There are about 80 children on the roll. It has plenty of space including lots of outside space for play and a separate dining room for the older children. It's a bit school-like. Though the building itself looks grim outside, inside was nice and bright. The manager who showed us round was enthusiastic and they seem to be updating the spaces they have with new equipment fairly regularly, although a few areas still looked a little bit tatty. They use agency staff to cover absences. It is the more expensive of the two and it's further away from us - about 20 mins walk in the wrong direction for DH's work. DH will be doing drop offs and pick ups because of my commute.

Nursery 2 is a private nursery, in a house, with an outstanding Ofsted report (last year). They have 60 children on roll and it definitely had a smaller, more homely feel. The building is smaller. There's limited outside space, though what there is is very nicely done with play equipment. We liked the manager but she perhaps wasn't quite as enthusiastic - not a major difference though. The main issue was that the rooms didn't look as bright and inviting - there was little up on the walls for instance and again a bit of tattiness here and there. It's cheaper and just 5 minutes walk from home in the right direction for DH. They never use agency staff.

It's summer so there were not many children at either place but the staff interactions with children we did see seemed fine at both.

Having looked at all 4 I felt really that nursery at such a young age is a huge step and I wondered about childminders. But I have no clue about them. If we knew a childminder that would be one thing but I'm not sure about leaving him with just one person without any oversight. My mum has a bad experience with me with a childminder who she discovered was leaving me to cry. But maybe a childminder would be better when he is so little? I found the council's list of childminders but apart from looking for one near to us I've no idea where to start.

We need to decide soon if we want a nursery place. Any advice gratefully received.

I think you should look at some childminders, just so you can rule that option either in or out. Childminding when your mother would have used one is vastly different than today. It much more heavily regulated and there are far more 'career' CMs than 'just' mums who stay at home with their own.

Absolutely look at both, otherwise you have no way of knowing what will truly suit you and your little one best.
I'm a childminder and I'm a part of a big network of childminders. Some a great, some not so much. Several childminders near me don't allow parents to come around whilst they're working, and instead have people come on evenings/weekends. Personally I think this is crazy, and a major red flag. All of my parents come during my working hours. That way they can see how I work, what life will be like for their child in my setting but most importantly, they can see the other children who look settled, happy and confident in my setting. People often say that things could go on behind closed doors in a childminding setting, but honestly due to the mixed age ranges I don't see how. All of the children in my setting over 3 are like little news reporters nothing goes on here or at home that doesn't get blabbed about by them! In a nursery, where you have rooms full of only babies or only young toddlers you are far more likely to get away with doing what you shouldn't IMO. Not to mention the fact that only a very small portion of our day is spent inside my house, the rest is spent out in the local community at libraries, toddler groups, museums, play parks etc where it is widely known I'm a childminder. If you choose a childminder who only cares for very young children, doesn't leave her house much and doesn't have any neighbours then I suppose yes, she could leave your baby to cry. I have an open door policy that means at any moment a parent can turn up at my house.
Childminders are Ofsted Registered and inspected just like nurseries, they follow the same guidelines and EYFS and in my opinion, they are almost always superior when it comes to very young children (under 2), second only to a nanny.
Sorry to blab on a bit, I hope you get the gist x

Hi OP, I don't know if you've seen my other thread but we are also currently considering nursery options, and it's so hard isn't it! So much to consider. Personally I can absolutely see the benefits of a CM, but I do also worry about there being little oversight, and so feel like I can trust a nursery more...

What we considered as important factors, after visiting a few nurseries, are how bright, friendly and homely the rooms are, how often they let the children play outside (so nice outside area would be a plus), and certainly also the convenience in terms of practicalities (as you mention distance etc). But it's so hard to know what actually makes a difference to the child concerned! I've heard that what actually matters most is how lovingly the children are treated by the staff, which is impossible to gauge in a single visit and by generalising across the whole team.

On the plus side, all the nurseries have reassured us that it tends to be completely fine for the children to be left there at that kind of age, and they usually settle in without any problems.

I genuinely get so upset when I read that people think childminders are less trustworthy. In recent years I can only remember awful incidents in the news happening in nurseries, not at childminders. Even then the headlines are usually wrong and they are actually nannies or babysitters, not OFSTED registered CMs.

Gutting when people dismiss our whole profession.

I'm sorry, I really didn't mean to offend. I think you are right, from my uninformed perspective I'm probably actually thinking of nannies and babysitters, and just haven't got the right idea of CM at all. Sorry

I used childcare.co.uk to find my childminder, dd was my pfb and I was very picky!
I interviewed about 6 but I knew from the minute I walked in to the cm i went with that she was the one.

She had assistants and 17 years experience of running a pre school, around 10 kids and her house was like Justin's house off c beebee's!
Fun, educational, stimulating and I found I instantly clicked with her personally.
Dd1 was there 4 years. It's worth looking at cm as well as nurseries.

You'll know when it feels right as you won't question yourself.
Good luck

Oh and my cm had set up her house like a nursery, had a routine like one too, some of the others didn't offer that and only take 1 or 2 children.

Thanks Leeela

Out of the two nurseries I'd pick the second one. If there's not much in it, then make DH's life easier with the 5 min commute.

That said, my first choice would always be a nanny, followed by a childminder with nursery coming last. I'd prefer them to have a strong bond with one carer, in a home. As close to what I'd be doing if I was at home as possible. There's plenty of time for more formal settings much later on in life. IMO. Some parents don't want them firming a strong bond with a carer, so chose a nursery setting - I think that's sad, children can love lots of people, it doesn't dimish their love be or bond with you. (I know it's not the only reason people choose nursery). As another poster said, abuse/neglect is possible in any setting, possibly more so in a nursery. Go and talk to some like calmCM's & see if you 'click' with any & see if you can afford a nanny. There are SO many advantages of having a nanny it's worth it if you can stretch that far.

I would pick nursery 2, but agree it's worth checking out childminders if you want to consider that as an option too.

I also chose a childminder who employs an assistant. It means there are more children around to play with, and more options for activities etc. Dd loves it there. Now she is three she will be going to a preschool in the morning and back to the childminder for the afternoon.

Childminders are regulated by Ofsted the same as nurseries. This includes the same suitability checks along with all the adults in their homes.
You can ask about the way thy work - going out networking with other and a good cm will be happy to have you visit while they are working so you see and meet the children and families and can observe their interactions. (some may ask for a first chat meeting out of working hours so they have time to talk and not worry about strangers meeting children but they then if your interested would normally let you come when they are working).
Many work with assistants and co - minders have level 3 and up to degree qualifications and early years teacher status. Some of us also train and examine the nursery staff that many parents rate as better qualified.
The media do not portray child-minders favourably often using the term for babysitters unregistered care and nanny's - some recent cases like the child dancing down a main road in west London are reported as child-minders when they were actually nurseries.

I'd pick the first nursery as my kids are the type to always gravitate to the outdoor play areas even on the coldest day. (I'm assuming that he can drop off/pick up in plenty of time)

I personally picked a childminder for my 1 year old. He went on the school run in the mornings, played with another mindee until the afternoon and played with the school children after school. The school children were her teen and 6ish years old dd.

Thanks so much for all the advice and all the info about childminders. It has been really helpful and it's prompted me to contact some cms to see whether they would be a good fit for us.

To those who've already been so helpful - what questions should I definitely make sure to ask a potential childminder?

Ask a childminder - once you know they are registered only use registered care - they can show you their certificate and reports any parent feedback valid certs of insurance and training like first aid.

All registered child-minders will have been checked for suitability by Ofsted as will any adults - their report says who lives on the premises so you will know if anyone new is there...so you don't need to see dbs/crb or police checks if they don't want to show you.

Look on Pacey website for list of questions to ask childcare.

Ask what areas the cm uses and see them nothing wrong with asking to see where your child will sleep if its upstairs. I don't use upstairs as I like everyone on one floor.
What routines they have - groups school runs etc....school runs shopping etc can all be great learning opportunities all mine learn their alphabet (phonic sounds) and numbers as well as take photos when we are out to use for play. We look at fruits veg do counting etc....just ask how they manage them and what learning the children do if them take them there.
additional training and experience.
try to meet them with children that they work with even if its a second visit....and ask if their parents would give references.
How do they get children to sleep - gradual withdrawal etc. If yours has an issue what do they suggest see if the advice feels right to match your parenting - your looking for someone broadly matching how you like things - it wont be exact but close bearing in mind they have other children to care for.
have a general chat and go with you instinct one may have all you want on paper but not fit with you.
Explain your commute and ask what flexibility there is if the trains are delayed due to incidents and plan how your going to get someone to collect your child if sick etc. so you don't make them think your going to be late all the time.