Volunteering with toddler or creche- any ideas?

[miggles33]

I am a Sahm at the moment with a toddler . I would like to volunteer but dont have the extra money to pay childcare. Has anyone found an opportunity where I could take my toddler too or that has crèche facilities included? I am a trained therapist who has worked with children, young people and families so am thinking of that type of support. I live in Cardiff too.

[afromom]

Hi miggles
I don't know of anything much that you can do around the of the sort of volunteering that you mentioned, where childcare is provided (I manage volunteering across a large region for a national charity - so volunteering in this sector is my bread and butter).
I do know of opportunities where you could take your child along, but this would mainly be breastfeeding peer support and playgroups, so not really what you are looking for.
Do you have access to the 2 year old free nursery hours? Or how close is your toddler to becoming 3? When you have access to the 15 hrs free nursery funding per week that would open time for you to pursue opportunities. With your background, I am sure that you would be welcomed with open arms to volunteer with a children's charity. The one I work for operates services near you, but unfortunately we wouldn't be able to help with childcare for you toddler.

[Coulddowithanap]

I volunteer at my local toddler group. I go an hour before it starts and finish half hour after it finishes (so there all morning!)

I was allowed to take my child. There were several volunteers with children and we stayed in the main room so we could watch our children as well as be there to chat to other parents. The volunteers without children there did the other jobs like craft table and helping in the kitchen preparing for snack time.