How early to start looking for child care?

[Madratlady]

Ok so I don't have a clue how to go about finding child care. It'll be needed from September next year (DC isn't even due till January so this is probably really early to be thinking about it), for 3 days a week, half 7ish till half 4ish. We prefer the idea of a nursery but would be happy with a child minder.

It looks like we'll end up paying around £35 a day, that seems to be the minimum round here. We don't want to pay more than we have to because it's going to be a big chunk of our income.

I'm going to find out prices for local nurseries and childminders but what do I do then? Arrange to visit ones we like the look of I guess? Would I need to put the baby on a waiting list? When would I need to do that?

I think nurseries can provide the stability and security that a young baby needs, that's one of the things you will need to look at, so I wouldn't discount nurseries on the basis that a CM is "better".

Also nurseries, do have the advantage of being to provide care 52 weeks of the year - so you're free to choose your holiday time rather than the CM choosing it. Nurseries won't take a sick child (neither should a CM if there are other children) so if DC have had vomiting etc you will need to take days of work. When they first start in any childcare setting this happens a lot at first - so be prepared.

The great advantage of a good nursery is that it can provide a really excellent basis for reception (DS2 has been at the same nursery since he was 6 months and goes into reception this year) and has benefited from that.

We've been with the same nursery for 8 years and our does picnics, Xmas parties etc so I do know quite a lot of people, but if you work, there's not a lot of hanging around chatting to other parents - I spend those few minutes chatting to the staff at the nursery about DS or nursery related things.

But agree with the others - get your name down now!

The advantage of having childcare near home, rather than near work, is that the friends your child will make will be near home too, and may even go to the same school. DS has been at nursery round the corner from us for 4 years. He starts school next month, and knows 14 of the intake of 24. He knows a few of them very well outside nursery too.

Also, childcare close to home is brilliant when you are ill.

I have no idea how flexible work will be. I lost job at 8 weeks pregnant and due to delays with paperwork etc I still haven't started my new one. It's a private nursing home so I think the are more likely to be flexible than the NHS.