Experience with childminder

[HeyDuggeesFavouriteSquirrel]

As a first time mum I'm finding the child care options available rather overwhelming.

My DS has just turned two and we're looking into the best options for him. He's not talking yet so that is something I'm taking into consideration when making my choices.

I run a small business part time plus I'm managing a major home renovation so I need some childcare but not as much as if I were full time employment.

I posted in the childcare forum recently as I started my DS in nursery and I wasn't happy with the staff. I feel like the nursery wasn't the right choice for us - I chose it because a close family member had been happy with it and I first looked around it when DS was small and I had no clue of his or my needs.

I don't want to rule out nursery despite this bad experience. A doctor recommended I send him to nursery to help with speech and so many of my friends have had positive experiences with nursery.

However, even though we live in Central London there are limited choices for other daycare nurseries that have the flexibility I require (I only really need two days a week). Most of the preschool nurseries that I've looked at that start at 2 years old require five days a week. There are a few options but I still need to actually visit them as they are only just allowing open days and visitors again.

My son has a nanny two mornings a week at the moment and she takes him on little days out and to playgroups but I worry this isn't enough social contact or stimulation for him given his lack of speech. He has been really happy with her though.

Some of my friends use a local childminder. She has her own rented space away from her home and it is set up like a mini nursery and she take nine children with the help of two assistants. I visited her space and DS has a great time plus she offers the flexibility I require. I don't have much knowledge of childminders but has anyone here used one? Has it helped a child with a speech delay?

As a last bit of information, I'm still looking after him the majority of the time and we do lots of playdates, activities and classes. Plus I have him booked in for a speech therapy assessment next week.

Most doctors and health visitors nd parents don't understand what childminders do working to the same standards (Eyfs) and often with the same qualifications as a nursery manager. I'm trained in portage, supporting early language, signing, a senco (having done the same training as nurser) I raise EHCPs and do referals to speech therapy. Many nurseries don't raise EHCPs leaving it until lo reaches full time school. Often children get on better having more individual tailored care and support.

If she is working from a rented commercial space rather than a home, then she is a nursery not a childminder and works to the same regulations as any other nursery, just small scale.

@zoeydollie not necessarily. She can remain registered as a childminder if she is still working some of her time at home, so long as she isn’t doing more then 50% in the premises.

OP, I’m a childminder so somewhat biased but as another poster has said lots of people are surprised to learn that a childminder is insured, Ofsted registered and inspected, first aid trained and qualified. We have to follow the same EYFS as nurseries and in fact, childminders have to be more qualified than most staff members at nursery do.

If your son has a speech delay then the sort of setting you’re suggesting sounds like the perfect option to me. Enough children that he is getting the key socialisation and formation of relationships outside of home that his nanny can’t offer alone, but equally he isn’t being thrust into a very large setting without the socialisation skills required to really settle.

Another thing to think about is ratios. Childminders usually have a ratio of 1:3 children, whereas a nursery is 1:4 at this age and then goes up to 1:8 or 1:13 depending on the staff’s qualifications in the room. In my experience children with a childminder usually have more one to one attention due to the smaller ratios.

A downside to consider is that unlike most nurseries, a childminder won’t have a SENCO department, should your son require more assistance in the future. With a supportive childminder and good healthcare professionals and communication between you all I don’t think this should be a problem, but it’s worth mentioning.

Good luck! It sounds like you’ve already had a positive experience so it won’t do any harm to enquire further x

I think the setting you have looked at sounds perfect.
It's larger than a childminders home so more friends to make- but small enough to ensure his needs are closely met.

Go for it.

Just wanted to say that any of those settings - including just being at home with a nanny - will be helping your child’s speech development. I don’t think one option is going to be advantageous over another and I’m not aware of any evidence to suggest that children who attend nursery are more advance in their speech than children who attend other types of childcare, or that children who are at risk of a speech delay find it easier to catch up at nursery than elsewhere. So just pick whichever you like best and don’t worry about the speech aspect.

@HeyDuggeesFavouriteSquirrel

I use a childminder for my 2 children she's had them both since they were about 1 as I had a year off work both times.

My childminder isn't based at her house and she has a big extension on the back (like a huge conservatory but with a proper roof)

She's a qualified nursery nurse and worked in nurseries for years but once she had her children decided to set up on her own and it's amazing and cheaper than a nursery

We are Nottinghamshire it's £35 per day, a nursery is nearer £55

It's very much home from home care and she does loads of great activities and even has banty hens for sippy eggs for breakfast

It was the best decision I've ever made

@HeyDuggeesFavouriteSquirrel
Just to say A qualified nursery nurse and most childminders have the same level qualification and many childminders have higher qualifications with lots of us having degrees as well as specialist training in various needs including language support.

@Enwi
Some childminders have the full senco training I've raised EHCPs, provide attention autism, signing and more. I'm portage trained with the full qualification, Elcan and Ecat qualified and much more.

@jannier @Enwi yes, unfortunately it's taking some convincing for my husband too as he thinks nursery will prepare him for school. I've explained that there really isn't much difference between a child minder and nursery. And does he really need to be prepared for school when he's only 2?!

@omgthepain all my friends that use child minders love them!

As he's 2 I'd probably stick with the nursery.
If he was 1 or under I'd say childminder. He'll change a lot in the next year and then you'll be wanting to move him to a nursery and he'll have to resettle again.

I always think a childminder home from home setting is best 0-2.5 and then on to a nursery where things are a bit more structured and there's more children.

Just my opinion as an ex nanny, nursery nurse and NHS HV.

@HeyDuggeesFavouriteSquirrel
Unfortunately most people who give advice like HV and individuals don't understand what a childminder is have never visited one and look at media portrayals. I've been inviting other settings in for years nobody takes it up. I have to fight with social workers to get onto professional meetings where the views of HVs who see a child for 5 minutes months ago and schools who never talk to parents properly to understand the home situation are more valued than me. I'm now in the situation where sen children come out of nursery becouse they are going backwards and return to me....and many non sen as they are grouped and supported at the level of most children not on individual need

@jannier this is so true and absolutely my experience too. When I had my 1 year review with my daughter’s HV the health visitor suggested she starts nursery soon to socialise. I’m a childminder who’s been back at work since she was 2 weeks old and work with two other childminders so have up to 9 children a day… what more socialisation could she possibly need?

I really don’t understand comments about needing to move a child to a nursery to prepare them for school. I honestly cannot think of a single thing that a nursery setting would offer than a childminder would not that would help them get ready for school.

I’ve been childminding for 7 years and have received AMAZING comments about how well my children transition to school. I’m able to give them real life experiences that a nursery just couldn’t do on a regular basis- we have weekly trips to the zoo with other childminders where they make new friends, learn to use a map, collect and document information on the different animals in groups with their new friends. Afternoon trips to the library, local museum, local grocery to buy our vegetables for the week with a shopping list they can check their items off on. Perhaps most importantly they come on the school run with me each afternoon where they will see the school they will be attending, become familiar with the teachers, form close bonds with children in higher years who will then watch out for them as they progress through school.

One of my school leavers last year had a terrible headache in her first week with school. She was terribly upset and mum works 45 minutes away so it took her a while to get there. Her mum says her heart was warmed when she got there to see her daughter was being comforted and cheered up by two older children from my setting who she has known for years and grown up with.

How can a nursery possibly replicate those experiences? I am passionate about this, largely because I feel like the only reason anyone would suggest a child needs to move from a childminding setting to a nursery is because they aren’t very well informed about what a childminder actually does.

The nanny socialising will be helping with speech and language. A childminder is able to help with speech and language and school preparation. I have 5 children about to head off to school and they are all well prepared. I never understand people who are worried about how their child will cope with school at 4, so they put them in a school environment when they are 2 or 3. Surely they are less able to cope when they are younger 🤷‍♀️.

I've only ever use childminders for childcare and I much prefer them to nurseries. I liked the home away from home environment. Like everything, a good childminder is amazing but there are plenty of crap and lazy ones (unfortunately I did experience one for the grand total of six weeks who couldn't deal with my eldest) who give the excellent ones a bad name.

My eldest started at the childminder when he was three having only ever been at home with me. He was a late talker and also stuttered. He really came on in confidence and socially after going to the childminder, because it was with a smaller group of kids. Ours did lots of activities out of the house and educational activities at home. We've just finished with them as we don't need them anymore but we were all gutted because they have been so good for our family.

@Clammyclam @Crabsy I've heard so many mixed things. Lots of my friends say nursery worked wonders for their child. But others say one on one with a nanny makes sense.

@ripplestitchblank I should say I have him signed up for pre-school when he's three in September 2022 so I'm really only looking for something for one year.

@Enwi your setting sounds brilliant! It seems so personal and nurturing.

@PJday41 that is so good to know! Thank you. I have two friends with children at this child minders and they couldn't be happier.

The problem is that no one has a controlled condition to compare with. You might send your boy to nursery and then his speech comes on leaps and bounds… does that mean it was because he went to nursery? Or would it have happened anyway regardless of where you sent him? We tend to attribute changes to specific things but the chances are that his speech will improve with time anyway.

In the absence of any SEN I think children adapt to whatever kind of setting they go to and will thrive. providing that the setting is giving them a loving and enriching environment.

Love love love my childminder. And the local primary school say the children that come from her are far more ‘school ready’ than those that come from the attached pre-school. So if it works out you might not need that pre-school place.

That's fine then if you don't mind having to re settle him elsewhere. It's such a personal choice, you have to do what feels right for you and your little one.

@HeyDuggeesFavouriteSquirrel
As you cant go back and try alternatives nobody can say their child came on leaps and bounds becouse of nursery. This is thr age they come on leaps and bounds anyway.
I have children removed from nursery (school nursery and private) becouse they were discouraged from doing things for themselves suddenly unable to put a coat on, attempt to write their name but had been doing so before, some settings hold children back to the average level for ease. A childminder is inspected to the same standards and works on school readiness just the same but unlike doing up to 15 children a childminder even with qualified teacher status will only be supporting a few

If you are happy with your nanny why chnage
She can take him out to mix /play dates /classes etx

Also if needs speech therapy / usually suggest if not talking by 3

@Blondeshavemorefun
Current research shows that early intervention at 2 has marked impact on educational achievement aged 16 so any possibility that there is delay its best to push for assessment. But childrens centres can start this process.