Childcare advice - how do I work this out?

[northwestmum24]

I am going to be a new mum soon and am trying get organised and think about childcare. We won't be having any support from parents so trying to work out the most affordable way to do it - but I am not sure I am working this out right at all. I am worried I am missing something.

I am based in the North West, and locally it seems like childminders are around £5 p/h here and are more cheaper than nurseries. So since time is on our side to get on a good waiting list, then I feel like this may be the best option.

I will be going back to work 4 days a week, and due to my works flexibility will be able to drop off at 9am, and collect at 3pm. My husband is self employed and will be able to take the reigns from me once I return home from picking them up.

If we spread our 30 free hours across 48 weeks, that leaves 23 funded hours a week. So that would leave us needing to pay for only 1 hour per week (4 days at 6 hours = 24 hours).

I understand there may be additional costs for the childminder for food, nappies etc if we don't/aren't able to supply our own, which is fine.

Am I missing something here? I just want to be as informed as possible and get a bit of clarity on it.

Thanks so much for any advice you have :)

You need to check carefully the rules of the setting, some have minimum hours per day, when you can use free hours etc. Local to me most nurseries only allow you to use funded hours from 9-12 and 1-4 so to use all 30 you need to book 5 full days, childminders tend to be more flexible

For my childminder 30 hours a week funding ends up as 2 days a week paid for year round, which is preferable (for me) to doing term time only and then having a full bill in the summer holidays etc.

Admittedly we’re down south so overall fees are a bit higher. At £80pd with 30 free hours and the 20% tax free it’s about £600 per month for 4 days.

Why 48 weeks?

termtime funding would be 38 weeks so is that a typo? Depending on childminder you might still pay either in full or retainer for holidays that you are taking.

Usually based on opening times not the hours you use. So my nursery is say 8-5:30 and I pay for that time even if only use 9-3. Childminder may be more flexible, particularly if you could modify the hours a little to pick up early enough for them to accept another child after you've collected as wrap around care.

You need to start asking people to see what the wait lists are like and what the contract is like and flexibility. I put my name down at the local nursery I wanted at 15 weeks pregnant and was 75th on the waiting list. I only got a place right before I restarted work. Some people were putting their babies down when they started TTC.

Childminders still need to be paid in the holidays. I think you need to do more research as I think it is going to be a lot more expensive than you think.

I think you'll struggle to find a childminder or nursrey that will accept that , as they will be loosing income.

My son goes the Childminders two days a week , and that uses the full 30 hours spread across a year. The childminder is open 8-530 so we have to pay / use hours for the full day ,even though we drop off at 930 and pick up at 245 as she couldn't fit another child around those hours.

Thanks for all your advice! I spoke to a child minder this evening who has the hours I’d need available from April next year which works perfect for me. Seems like childminder is the best route for the flexibility which I did think - I didn’t presume a nursery would allow me the same freedom! Really happy it seems it will all work out especially since we aren’t blessed with any help from family due to distance. Thanks again everyone!