Nursery or childminder for 11 month old

[Paris2019]

Hi, I'm starting to look into childcare options for DS when I go back to work in Nov 2021. It'd be for 2 days a week probably and he'll be 11 months then. Both my DH and I WFH so pick-ups drop-offs wouldn't be too late / early / rigid. I'm literally clueless about which option would be best at that age. DS is an only child if that makes any difference in terms of benefits of one over the other?!

I personally went for a childminder. My DS was born very early in lockdown and is very clingy. I liked a childminder over nursery because it was less children so less contact with people. It also worked out £17 cheaper a day (but I have to provide his food) and it’s a home from home. Tbh i thought he wouldn’t settle easily but he absolutely loves it. He has a lot of attention and she has a very large room dedicated to childminding and huge garden for play in summer. Xx

Both follow the same guidelines EYFS and are inspected by ofsted to thoes standards. Young children developmentally benefit from a close relationship with their carer in a nursery this is supposed to be the keyworker but staff issues etc can mean that isn't always the case. Generally childminders are more flexible and tend to be cheaper. You can build a close relationship and if you pick the right one it can be the only childcare you ever need up to senior school. You do have to consider holidays....most childminders give dates at the biging of the year for their 2 or 3 weeks so parents match it or split he holiday between them. Some childminders have co minders or work closely with others so can arrange some cover. Few will take much time off so sick days tend to be rare.....but look at references and if possible ask if you can talk to existing parents

A good nursery is fantastic, as is a good childminder. A nursery is always going to be more reliable as you will have to arrange childcare during the childminder’s holidays or if they are unwell.

In a nursery your child will play with similar aged children whereas that’s unlikely to be the case with a childminder (they can only have one under one, so it definitely won’t be the case for your child to begin with) and if your child doesn’t get on with the other children with the childminder, there isn’t any escape.

In general a childminder is cheaper because there are lots more negatives but if you find a good one, it could work out far better than a nursery. It’s just many childminders are good enough rather than exceptional.

There are pros and cons to both so I would go and look round both tbh. I was convinced I wanted DD to go to a childminder when I went back to work when she was 10 months but when I went to visit some I completely changed my mind and she's now settled in the most fantastic nursery and is thriving.

Maybe I’m cynical, well I probably am, but my thoughts on the matter were:

Lots more hands on deck at a nursery, should anything happen, it won’t be one person juggling a baby’s bottle and keeping an eye on other small children at the same time. What you lose in close relationship you gain in continuity.

It’s a lot more formal, like school, so I’m hoping he gets settled into school more easily than if he just went to someone else’s house.

The formalness of it attracted us with varied activities and educational play from day one.

Secure forest on site.

All days covered and not faffing with holidays and so on.

Along with the formality and lots of additional staff comes an added sense of safeguarding. I know, don’t berate me, it’s how I feel. Dropping DC to a strangers house is far more ‘risky’ than a large chain nursery sandwiched between a primary and secondary IMO and whilst they are at an age where they can’t tell us what’s wrong it’s even more important.

My best friends mum was a childminder growing up, made a fortune, she was loved by all the children/mums. But goodness their house was nuts.

Depends on personal preference really. For only two days a week it probably doesn't matter too much either way.

Do I you have back up if your childminder is ill?
What will you do when your childminder is on holiday? Are you prepared to taken holiday when your CM does?

I’m a childminder, so would always say go for a childminder, but it’s really personal preference. I know some cms who I wouldn’t leave my dc with, but I also know some nurseries that are far from adequate and they have dc in each day, so obviously some parents think they are acceptable. The Same the other way, I know of some fantastic childminders you would be extremely lucky to get a place with and I follow an excellent nursery who show some fantastic examples of good practice.

Ask around for recommendations (if you don’t know anyone to ask, do you have a town fb page you could ask on, or see if your area has a childminder vacancy page and ask on there), go and visit a couple and see how you feel about them. At the moment, you won’t (At least I doubt) be able to go in during working hours, but I have seen prospective parents in the evening for a chat.

Make a list of things you would like to know, examples, food, opening times, costs, holidays, outings, types of activities, other dc that would be there, outside play, tv time, pets, anything that is important to you. And see what you think.

@FTEngineerM......how do you think a nursery cope with a ratio of 1 to 3 in a baby room? Its much easier to feed one under 1 while caring for 2 children who maybe anything up to 5 years who can be engaged in activities or all reading stories with you while you feed than having a room with 6 hungry babies due a feed 1 adult doing a nappy and 2 trying to sort the others. (If your lucky and all staff are in the room which is well staffed not minimum ratio) as an assessor ive seen one member of staff feeding babies lined up in 4 highchairs spoon for you spoon for you etc. No interaction busy talking about a date and getting the wrong food in the wrong mouth as she forgot to change spoon and bowl.

I went for a nursery that had an open door policy so they could play out in a completely secure area whenever they wanted. Mine thrived. I have been a childminder, my school run was 2 minutes walk but some young kids spend a lot of time dropping and collecting older kids-most child minders have to do this for financial reasons.

@jannier that’s crap, I’m sure crap things happen like that at childminders too.

One example of one bad apple doesn’t change my opinion. There are nurseries rated excellent by ofsted that don’t have bare minimum staff ratios and have very low staff turn over.

@FTEngineerM of course there is good and bad of both but your post suggests feeding is done more one to one in nursery it is not as 3 babies need feeds similar times so all nurseries will have more than one feed at a time....thats like saying its easier to have twins or triplets than a more typical family of a baby a 2 year old and a 3 year old we all know that's rubbish with a mixed age you sort out lunch feed baby while supervising toddlers. If its a bottle feed you do it when toddlers are busy free play or sitting with you reading twins are an adult sat between two holding a bottle to each and winding is a wait your turn......and assessors go into lots of setting not just one nursery. I can be in 2 or 3 a day.

I agree with @FTEngineerM on the safeguarding front. Many nursery settings have well placed cameras and obviously multiple staff. With a childminder it can (not always) just be one person and their account of things when questioned if something is up.

[quote jannier]@FTEngineerM of course there is good and bad of both but your post suggests feeding is done more one to one in nursery it is not as 3 babies need feeds similar times so all nurseries will have more than one feed at a time....thats like saying its easier to have twins or triplets than a more typical family of a baby a 2 year old and a 3 year old we all know that's rubbish with a mixed age you sort out lunch feed baby while supervising toddlers. If its a bottle feed you do it when toddlers are busy free play or sitting with you reading twins are an adult sat between two holding a bottle to each and winding is a wait your turn......and assessors go into lots of setting not just one nursery. I can be in 2 or 3 a day.[/quote]
Ah - that wasn’t my intention sorry. My thoughts on that point are more eye balls in the room, maybe it’s not everyone’s DC but he’s like Houdini and if he’s not trying to roll off something/into something then he’s trying to climb up something or jump off something. If one pair of eyeballs and one pair of hands are in the room that, to me, isn’t as safe as more than one set of hands and eyeballs. What I meant was, if that one person looking after a few DCs is trapped under a small baby feeding them then their ability to run and solve a problem is reduced. At home with multiple kids you’d throw them in a travel cot or something, I don’t know what childminders do..

Anyway the point is sort of moot because I found one without min staff ratios in under 2 room, because it was on my list. It may or may not be a prob for OP but that’s for them to decide

DC1 went to a chikdminder, DC2 a nursery as I couldn't find one in new area. I preferred everything about the childminder experience - she was fantastic. She had another friend who was a childminder and they hung out together most days with their charges. She lived in a rural location and took them to lovely outdoor areas each day and had childminder passes to local attractions. Dd loved going on the school run and was very excited when a few big kids arrived for after school care! Dd had a ball and I was gutted when we needed to move on.
Ds went to a nursery, they were nice and kind and there was no problem but he spent a lot of time inside. He always got sick and I was never sure how accurate the food diary was. It was totally fine but the childminder experience was a lot better imo.