NURSERY CARE Vs CHILDMINDER

[foxd]

Having a poo week. My main concern is with childcare.
I had always wanted my sons to go to childminders because I thought they would have more attention than if they were in a nursery. NOt that Im knocking nursery my 2 sons have also been in nursery.
My problem is in sept I'm going to need full-time care for a 3 and 5 year old. I've even just changed my eldests school to give us access to available childminders who have since said either they are full or they are not able to do pick ups or drop offs for various reason.

The only other option is to use a pick up and drop off nursery service.
I feel is if I'm letting my kids down becsuse of the upheaval of moving school and now the prospect of nursery care.

I know nursery isn't bad and the ones Ive used in the past have been good. It's just been a while.
Please could anyone who is using a nursery or nursery pick up service let me know of their experiences good or bad.

Not exactly your answer foxd but personaly I prefer nursery over childminder as in nursery there are children of same age, more activities etc. You said children get more attention from childminders, how can you say that when you are not there.

I chose Nursery over childminders for my son 14mths old as I thought there would be more stringent rules and guidelines in place rather than just 1 person........he is very happily attending there 2 days per week and I have never regretted my decision. They do a before and after school pick up service and from what I can see it works really well..........
Hope someone else has more constructive feedback for you!

Having similar issues with you re childcare. Have you visited the nurseries? you mught find that there is one which is a lot smaller than the others, or seems to have a more caring atmosphere. That way you don't have to feel like you are compromising. On pick-up and drop-offs my only criteria is that we should use the same cminder to do them all - ie not chop and change during week or term-time (is that what you meant by pick-ups?). Alternatively some nurseries have longer hours.

There is only one nursery locally that does pick ups and drop offs. I've asked to go and see them and they said to call back in July. Theyre changing premises so they said it would be pointless visiting at the moment. It's not so much the premises I want ot see but the staff aswell. You know see how the staff are with the children in their care.

Pomi - thats a good point, I don't know that they get more attention from a childminder.
Lizzylou - My eldest will be going to school full time so I need him to be dropped off and picked up and also my youngest starts in sept so he will need to be dropped off and picked up in the afterrnoons. The childminders Ive been in contact with can either do that for only one of them and like you I dont want them to passed from pillar to post with one person picking them up here and another person dropping them off there. I also want to keep them together.