Childcare issues - need advice

[Mumandson1]

Hi everyone.

My son is 3 years old, he’s a beautiful, kind, funny and loving little boy. He attended a private nursery and they were unable to increase his hours due to him being a flight risk. My son is on the pathway to be diagnosed with Autism and he has global development delay. He has limited speech and is very impulsive.

We moved him to a different nursery with the hope that they can increase his hours, so that my partner and I can work to provide him with a better life. However, they will not allow him to attend breakfast club because he’s a flight risk and they have fire doors that he could get out of.

we have exhausted all options. I have phoned every childminder in my local area, who have all refused because they don’t have hours available or they want a child with funded hours because they get paid more for that.

I’m driving myself insane trying to get support for my son at school. I don’t know what to do.

Sounds like he needs 1:1? Is he currently at a nursery - can they apply for inclusion funding or an EHCP?

Agree - a nursery with a good SENCO should be able to help you apply for an EHCP (you don't need a diagnosis, it's just about support needed). We had 1:1 at a mainstream nursery and it worked really well. We found council-funded nurseries much better than private ones for this.

He received 1-1 in his previous nursery but they stopped it as they didn’t have the funding.

his current nursery haven’t mentioned it and said they don’t think he needs it. I just have no idea what to do moving forward. How can we work when we can’t get any childcare?

You have either 4 months or 16 months until he goes to school.

Can you keep him in his current nursery on his current hours, and each of you adjust your working hours so one can do drop off and one can do pick up?

Talk to your employers, explain the problem. Most employers will try to adapt your hours if they are able to, especially if it is for a fixed period.

Childcare is hard to find. I suggest you start looking at afterschool provision now.

This is a very valid point. My partner is talking about going part time as I can’t change my hours because I’m a teacher and have to give notice. They’re already allowing me to go into work later so I can do drop off.

thank you

Could you get a nanny for the short term? It sounds like he needs one to one care for now.

If he is in the pathway for autism with limited speech then presumably you have some level
pf NHS involvement?

does he have a speech therapist? Portage?
there are special needs nurseries that can be accessed that are specifically for children with this level of need.
try contacting your local authority and asking about their local offer for disabled/SEN students.

it may also be worth starting the EHCP process to document his needs which may also bring funded hours.