Baby carers - equipment advice

[Gingerbics]

Hi we're trying to put together a list of equipment that all baby carers in our area should be provided with. Wondered if you can help - what would you say is essential for a new carer to have. Many thanks for your help

I have to provide all mine myself so would be grateful for anything!

I'd say the essentials though would include:

Cot, car seat, changing mat, steriliser, bottles, maybe Moses basket??

Like scarlet said but also pram/buggy, stair gates, high chair, bedding

Our SS provided it all an hour before baby arrived

Car seat, pram, cot

Plus bedding, few changes clothes, changing mat, bottles.

Some formula and nappies to allow them not to have to rush out immediately

A pram?? Seriously?? I am so jealous! I've paid out hundreds and hundreds for prams over the years.

I think formula has a fairly short shelf life doesn't it? And each baby I've taken seems to use a different brand. Plus I think the fostering allowance provides for food and nappies. (On saying that though my LA says the allowance also covers all these essentials here so what do i know! My LA is probably just tight!)

I got a car seat, pram, Moses basket and stand, bedding, baby bath, steriliser, bottles, bouncy chair, changing mat just before the arrival of my first newborn.
I asked for a cot which I got with bedding soon afterwards.
Only annoying thing is that I have to store it all in case I have another newborn, and space is short!

Thanks so much for all your replies. In parts of Edinburgh carers are given a 'kit' for babies. What about things like baby sling, bouncer chair etc?

We have a new Moses basket for each baby, and we get a contribution to the pram, cot and a bouncy chair. We have a carer library for everything else - we share things out that we buy ourselves.
I keep a few nappies of each size and some cartons of formula in each brand for emergencies. The formula has a 6 month shelf life and then I replace it - the cartons are 70p ish.

I think a lot if carers won't want masses of kit as it takes up a lot of room when you aren't using it.

I bought my own sling, I think they are personal choice and I wanted to be able to sell it on and replace if I didn't like it.
We aren't allowed to buy 2nd off eBay and the like, as SS have to be assured of their safety.

I would have thought many will only need majority of the stuff the first time, as would keep say a small pram in storage incase

Thank you!
Yuleloglatte your carer library sounds a great idea- how does it work? Do you store your own items until needed by another person but have a central list? Really appreciate your comments

Yes, we have a central catalogue and use a facebook group to share stuff - so when you get a placement you firstly contact the library to see if it's in storage, and if not you ask on facebook and someone will come to your rescue! It took some effort to set up but works really well both in saving money and storage issues. It means that carers are more likely to invest in specialist equipment too as they have saved money in basics and they know the specialist item will be used by someone else. It is great for premature clothing for example which is both expensive and hard to source at short notice.

Thanks Yule that's really helpful and sounds good. Is the storage somewhere in social services building or do you mean storage in people's lofts etc. sorry so many questions but really sounds good - esp as it works!

We store it in carers' homes, as that meNs someone will always be able to help - if it was all stored at SS would be no good at weekends or evenings. It's so chaotic when new emergency placement arrives so if another carer can bring stuff, pop to shops etc it can really help. We are a small authority and very close knit team, not sure if it would work in big/ rural authority.

Thanks that's really helpful. FB group a great idea too, really appreciate your help - thank you!

I wasn't given anything by my LA, they do say they will lend you things but you have to give them back at the end of a placement. For me, that just wasn't practical so I bought my own beds, cots, pushchairs, everything really so I could take placements without worrying I didn't have the right equipment.

Storage is a pain, but at least it is all mine. I would love to have access to a kind of equipment library though to borrow things for certain children or babies that you don't have room to store forever. For example, my jumperoo and travel cot is great whilst I have a placement, but so big to store afterwards. Those kind of things would be great to just borrow, but somewhere you could actually go and see the stuff to check it's suitable, rather than just be dropped off something. I need to see if we can set this up in my LA actually!

Hi Candycoco - yes def worth looking into with other carers. Totally see what you mean re having your own equipment as at least you know for example that you have a decent pram and a car seat compatible with your own car. Good luck with it!