Confused nubie - when to book cm????

[Koji]

I am hoping someone can help answer a few questions I have regarding childcare. My dd is currently 3 and a half months old and I am (sadly) returning to work full time in september (unless my circumstances change). However, my dh is currently available to care for our daughter full time and so we have avoided looking for possible child care, my concern is that should the current situation change we will have not booked anywhere (ideally a cm). How would I go about arranging care with the possiblity of not needed it, and in contrast, getting care at short notice?

You can pay a retainer fee to hold the place open then its there if you need it. Should be half fees.

I think it would be a little unfair to let a childminder think that she has a child starting full-time, retainer fee paid or not, and then decide not to send your dd. Of course, if you tell the childminder that you may not need the place, it is up to the minder how she might want to deal with it.

As long as you are upfront about the situation then the childminder will know to possibly expect you to not want the place.