Childcare costs- 6 month old full time

[Else89]

Hi there,

I’m pregnant and thinking about childcare options.

I’m really grateful that my work offers 6 months mat leave full pay. However, my husband and I need to have two wages coming in after that so would require us to work full time following this. Luckily due to his shift pattern we would only require 3 weeks a month of full time childcare.

Has anyone got any idea of costs for full time nursery for 6 month old? And is it the norm to pay week on week? (Rather than by month or term).

Ive tried to research online but not really getting anywhere. We are East Sussex area.

thanks so much,

You sign a full time contract or part time for specific days. You can’t have a contract for 3 weeks out of 4. Your local nurseries will have their fees online. In my area nursery fees for a baby are around £75 per day.

would you consider a childminder? They are much cheaper.

Also it’s a good idea to reserve a place already. Many nurseries get booked up months and months in advance.

It’s difficult to ay depending on your area.
a nursery near me charges £8 per hour but one 10 minutes out of the city centre charges £6 per hour.

they’re unlikely to accept just 3 weeks a month would need to be a regular slot each week, if you don’t use your slots for a week you’ll still need to pay.
some charge weekly but others prefer monthly. It’s down to the nursery

I think weekly would be difficult to find as they'd still have to keep the place available for the 4th week so this might not do you any favours financially.

Unlikely you will find a nursery that will offer three weeks out of four. You'll need to pay for set days every week whether you use them or not.

We are £50 a day for under 2s but in the north of Scotland so I'd imagine it would be more for you. Maybe call round a couple of nurseries?

I'm nowhere near your area, but I really don't think you will find anywhere that will allow you to only book 3 weeks in 4. Think about it, how would they operate on that model, they'd have one week in 4 with less income as it would be virtually impossible to fill that slot? So in all likelihood you will need to have a set weekly booking pattern that is the same every week of the year (or go down the term-time only route, but that doesn't sound like it would work for you either). Costs vary wildly. Under 2s at our nursery cost just under £55 a day at present but we are in The North, and our nursery is significantly cheaper than a few of the other local ones - costs vary a lot even within our city. I'm imagining fees will jump a fair bit in January too though given the energy costs rising so much.

Full time at my nursery would be about £1200 a month.

Ball park £1000-1200 a month for 5 days a week, although costs are rising everywhere You may find it hard to find a nursery that will offer 3 out of 4 weeks a month - easier for the staff/ratios if you can go to a 4 out of 5 days a week model.

I agree with PP, look into a childminder who might be more flexible with what you need and are definitely cheaper. Our childminder in the midlands is around 35 per day whereas a nursery would be about 65.

You're going to have to book child in full time for x amount of days, as I don't think any nursery will do 3weeks in/1week not in. You can take out your child on the 4th week but you'll still be paying full rates.
We pay one month in advance and currently give or take it's about £1100 per child. This works for holidays and days off sick too (you'll still have to pay) but if the nursery shuts for whatever reason then you shouldn't have to pay.

Thank you so much everyone for your responses. It’s my first baby, so have no idea! So helpful, thank you x

I pay a childminder which is £35 a day if I used a nursery it would be £55-60 a day

Some hints

• take advantage of the government 20% off scheme

• childminders are cheaper and then you have someone to do wraparound when they start school and in my experience and chatting to other Mums much more flexible

• as another poster said go and visit nurseries and childminders now and get booked. My childminders operates a waiting list and has like a planner on a big spreadsheet to monitor spaces and we have to tell her every May/June time what we require for the next academic year - I'm guessing most of them do this the ones round here all do then they look at their waiting lists and see as kids move up to secondary school etc what people need x

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And congratulations it's an exciting time!!!! But great you are thinking about this already.

Thank you :)

My husband works shifts and I thought I could only pay for 2 weeks childcare every month. Unfortunately that wasn't the case. I had to agree to have certain days, every week, regardless. Because it means they can't fit another child in, on my alternate week days. I resented paying it, but understood why. Childminders are better but if they're sick then you're off work. Whereas nursery has plenty of cover.