How to find a childminder in Australia?

[ViolentFemme]

Or in Sydney to be more specific.

Ds currently goes to a nursery but we're not sure the environment is quite right for him. I think he needs more of a "mummy" figure when I'm not there. We had a great childminder when back in the UK and I'm worried we were spoiled and we are never going to find anyone like her!

So, how does it work out here? In Scotland all childminders must be registered with the care commission. Any such equivalent in NSW?

I've googled "childminder" but end up with lots of websites like findananny.co.au but I'm nervous...

Help!

Hello there!

Not sure about registration, but have you tried gumtree? Your other option is the university job centre - I did one-on-one childcare for the whole time I was doing my degrees (lovely kid, we got on wonderfully so he had four or five years of stability). Think you would have to vet students yourself, though.

I have a feeling that private childminding may be less of an industry in Australia because you only get the tax credits if you use a nursery. I'm not sure though.

i know in Qld we have family daycare - which is run in home by daycare mums.

info here

sorry meant to add - that is the nsw website.

in NZ childminders are usually called 'home educators' - might be worth looking that up in case they're called that in Oz too?

Thanks all, I had a feeling that it would be different terminology.

I'm gonna have a quick look at the daycare website and gumtree (that's where we bought our sofa from!) and look up home educators.

Well that's a busy night ahead for me, better get the wine opened...

Ha! we bought our sofa from gumtree too!

Actually we found someone with a baby roughly the same age who was going back to the UK and bought his whole flat full of stuff, so we are set for high chair, sofa, tv etc. My mum was very impressed that we'd managed to set ourselves up very comfortably for $885.

We should talk about an informal arrangement when I get back. I have several friends whose DC1s have turned into utter demons when DC2s have arrived because they're not used to sharing Mummy, so I would like to get DD1 accustomed to the idea of having another little person around.

Hey VF, I've met a number of childminders with spaces at the playgroups i go to. Infact one I'm going to start using next month as I'm finally going back to work part time. I'm not sure if they would cover your area though, but I can ask.
If not I know they'd def. be fine for you ND. I think its a good way to go as the little ones get lots of attention plus they have a friend to play with. The boy that DD's going to be with is 2 and she adores him - they meet at the park regularly and hyperventilate when they see each other!

By the way ND we are putting in an application for a lovely house in Gow st, just off Elkington Pk - keep your fingers crossed!

VF we have to set up new date for meetup.

Back to telly to watch Dawn of the Dead...

I think that sounds ideal - I don't want to stick DD in a big nursery but I realised today that she may need a bit of catching up with English speakers - apart from me and DH, everyone she encounters speaks to her in Mandarin.

How much do these childminders cost, BGDU, and can you get all the tax allowances for using them?

I could kiss my boss - I spoke to her today and she said she'd move my job from the Shanghai to the Sydney office, so I will be going back to work part-time fairly soon after I arrive. She has forgiven me for breezily telling her I'd be back at work a fortnight after DD's birth and I'd just keep her in a basket under my desk. Ah, the naivety of the first-time mum.