When to organise childcare?

[Lavenderleopard]

Hi, I'm due my first child next month and will be going back to work in November. I have been contacting local childminders to see about availability for when I go back to work but of the 25+ that I have contacted, 3 have come back to me and have said they won't know until closer to the time. Is this normal? I don't want to get to the summer and be told no one has availability because it will mean I can't go back to work.
I can't afford nursery because it's £75+ a day here which is more than I earn and I'm not entitled to any benefits.

I would expect childminders will know later in the school year if any of their current 2/3 year olds will be going to school nursery in September and that will affect their places for the autumn.

6 months notice is probably enough in my area.

Ask at about Easter, the next school.year becomes much clearer around then.

I'd put my name down for local expensive nursery as you might find you need them as a stop gap. But there is usually a lot of movement in sept. Could you afford to start with CM in Sept to guarantee a place? I'd be worried CM would take someone starting Sept before you as they'd not miss out on fees for 2 months.

I suspect you aren't getting proper replies because your child isn't born.
I waited until my DD was 2 weeks old and was told I was late looking for childcare by my HV.

Due to ratios a CM can only take on one under 1. So if your child won't be 1 when you go back to work, you should ask once they are born.

I asked local CMs and none had space for a baby. Instead 3 directed me to another CM who didn't have any babies. The CM had an idea that in around 9 months time that the family of the children she was looking after were moving in Summer and she would have an appropriate space.

As PP said put your child down for nursery so you have guaranteed place. And ask CMs again once your child is actually born.

I didn't start looking until baby was six months and it was absolutely fine. I went part time after 11 months.

Advance from pacey is not to see parents until a child is born generally most people have an idea of potential vacancies 6 months ahead and will take your details or ask you to call back nearer the time. But as existing parents circumstances change it is hard to confirm it.

There is huge childcare shortage in my area and parents are finding that there is no childcare available if they leave it too late.

Whilst childminders will find it difficult to know if they will have a space in November, they should be able to tell you if they have any children leaving for school or pre school in September. And you can ask for them to put your name down on a waiting list and be contacted should a space become available.

Youdr best bet here is to try and get a place from the sept as most childminders will know how many are going to preschool/school. If a childminder commits to your place now that’s a lot of time for them without any fees holding a place which is why they are telling you to get in touch closer to the time. Whereas with a sept start they already know that there is a potential empty place on the horizon so will be more open to holding it for someone.
Also the baby’s not born, so many people that intend to go back to work full time end up part time/ extending/ shortening their maternity - you may not know what you really want to do until a few months in to actually having the baby.

Thank you for the replies, I'm in Scotland so schools will go back beginning of August which is far too early for me to send baby to childminder. I'm going to have to put my name down for nursery and hope that a childminder has space by the time I need it in November

ASAP round here

I had to put DD (who isn’t even born yet) on a wait list for childcare months ago for next year

If your going back November I'd be meeting you in August....generally 2 or 3 times over 2 or 3 weeks ..so that's September....then starting settling in visits once or twice a week building up to a full session before you start.....if it goes well I'd space visits out so we had a full session near to you starting but it leaves time to sort issues of feeding and sleeping which can be tricky especially for breast fed babies so 3 months would be fine.