more childcare questions

[orangekatie]

Hi to all, hoping someone might be able to help with this query. I've just started trying to find a childminder as close as possible to the Stockbridge area, and many of the entries on the Scottish Childcare information website seem to be very out of date - does anyone know of a better way to find out details? or, (hope against hope!) have any recommendations?

You could phone the SCMA and ask if there is a vacancy list co-ordinator in your area. Other than that it's just a case of plouging through them. I am a CM but out of Edinburgh so not able to reccommend anyone. I know Mawbroon is a CM in Edinburgh so you could start a thread for her?

I agree that the info on that website is very out of date, not quite sure what the point is of having a website if it is not accurate..... Even the stuff on nurseries seemed a bit incomplete which is surprising as would assume easier to keep up to date than info on childminders.Have you tried phoning or emailing them?

I think that the best way to find a childminder is through word of mouth which isn;t much help to you.sorry!

I am sure someone more helfpul will be along soon

Childminders are meant to phone and update availability and if they give up,but they don't always do it. It is a pain for parents. Is there not a facility on the CHIS website to view only CM's with immediate vacancies?

Ah, I'd not come across the SCMA before - very helpful, thank you! I'll ring tomorrow - their number's only open till 4.

Curlygal, I'd much prefer a word of mouth recommendation really - it's just that I've no-one to ask! Everyone I know with kids the same age either stays at home with them or has gone for the big corporate nurseries.

My little boy loves other kids, but gets a bit overwhelmed at toddler group when there are loads of them all at once, so I was hoping that a smaller-scale environment might suit him better. Thanks for the tips, and I'd love to hear any more if anyone's got them!

Def put a shout out for Mawbroon on here. She may be able to help. Or look on netmums,there are CM's who i know that advertise on there?

hmmm just had a look at DS's nursery on their website and the info was last updated in June 2008 and it says there are 8 vacancies. Hopeless as almost a year later there are in fact NO vacancies and parents with children already there cannot even get any axtra days.

If your DS would prefer a smaller group why not try a small nursery if you cannot get a childminder? The nursery DS is at has a max of 18 I think and usually much smaller numbers and he is very happy there. I was a bit scared by the huge nurseries and I am 35! Hope you find somewhere

I found my child minder on the area I stay in website. Have you looked under Edinburgh City Council website?

Local nurseries are the place to find childminders but I have no idea how you would have an excuse to hang around your local Nursery without looking strange/weird/frightening.