Re: Struggling to find the 'right' childcare

[p2b]

Just wanted to see if anyone had found a similiar situation. I am looking at possibly going back to work in September when my son will be 2 years and 2 months. I really would like to send him to a pre-school type environment but am struggling to find somewhere to fit in with working a full day (I will probably return at least three days)that isn't a nursery.

Lots of the pre-schools will take children when they are 2.5 (which would mean January 2011) but even those who offer extended days do so as an add on. I.e. most children will leave at the end of the school day (3.30pm) and a few will stay on. Does anyone do this arrangement? How has your child adjusted to being one of the children who isn't picked up when most children leave.
I have found a pre-school type setting which will take from 2 years onwards but the arrangement is as I describe.

Sometimes I just wonder if it would be easier to return to work when he is 3 but even the fact that they mainly offer sessional care seems to make it hard for working parents to take advantage of some of the great pre-school provision that seems to be out there. Has anyone else found this? Should I just give up my search for the childcare I seem to have dreamt exists and look to a nursery setting instead.

I am also looking into the idea that I wouldn't go back to work until he was 3 but that I send my son to a preschool for a morning or so a week so that he can socialise a bit more. This would need to be affordable (as I would not be working) and ideally would be the same childcare I used when i returned to work. This doesn't seem to be a goer either because the pre-school day doesn't really fit with that of a full-time working day. Argh....Does anyone else's head hurt!
Any thoughts, experience or advice?

Why are you after a pre-school rather than a nursery?

It's a gut reaction rather than anything grounded but I guess the primary reason is because I think that because he will be that little bit older when he starts, perhaps that environment will be better suited to him. I also like the fact that lots of pre-schools group their children in much wider age ranges than nurseries. For example the pre-school I have identified has all of the children aged from 2-5 in one open plan space. My son is an only so I like the idea of this interaction amongst children of differing age groups.

Another reason is because term-time only provision would fit in much better with my work. I also am loathed to say it (and it isn't the primary reason) but pre-schools do also seem to be more reasonably priced than nurseries.

I should say I have nothing against nurseries I just wonder if pre-school can be a suitable alternative form of childcare for working parents. It seems such a shame that there are so many lovely settings out there that only parents who are not working can really take advantage of.

You may find a nursery that groups children in 2-5 year groups - I've previously worked in a smallish nursery that just had an under 2 room and an over 2 room.

In most nurseries the pre-school room will be 3-5 years anyway, and lots (like the one I currently work in) have a qualified teacher leading the pre-school room.

the other option is to combine preschool with a childminder

it sounds like you need a childminder to wrap around.
from my experience, pre school sessions are more full on than nurseries. my DDs used to go to a nursery from 8.30-4 and now DD2 is at pre-school from 9-11.45. No way would she be able to cope with a longer session - the rhythm and pace are set for a just under 3 hour period. Nurseries are set up for a 10 hour day and peak and flow accordingly.

Thanks for that Missus84. It's very useful information and something to ask the nurseries I have been in touch with. It would be good to know if they have a qualified teacher leading the pre-school room. I guess I'm also keen on the mixed age group setting to avoid moving him from one room to another a year later.

If I'm honest I have probably had too long to think about the pros and cons of all situations. I just need to make a decision of where and when. I just don't seem to have found the childcare that makes this decision easier to make! I'm sure I'm not the only parent that also finds it hard to pre-empt what sort of child their son or daughter may become and trying to find childcare that will suit them for a future date seems very tricky to me.

Thats very interesting what you say about the pace and flow of the sessions amidaiwish.
Does anyone have experience of sending their child to a pre-school setting that offers an extended day (full day)? You'd hope that the format would be ajusted so that children attending all day would be catered for? The childminder is something I have thought of but parked for the moment as this arrangement would not allow for me to go back to work sooner rather than later. (Because most pre-schools won't take children until they are 2.5).

You could send him to a childminder full time in September and then start him at pre-school when he's 2.5. I think you'll have to pay for the full day at a childminder even while he's at pre-school anyway, as they won't be able to fill the space for 2 or 3 hours.

just an alternative view for you to chew over

dd3 is in a nursery, it costs £34.75 per day inclusive of nappies/suncream/3 good meals and snacks, she is 2.5.

nursery also offer term time only contracts.

i have gone to look at the pre-school and nursery wrap around care at the local school.

This involves breakfast club 8-9. Pre school session 9.00-11.30. Lunch club 11.30-12.30. Pre school session 12.30-3.00, afterschool care 3.00-5.00

the first and last sessions involve group of children up to 8 years old. When adding up the costs it will be no cheaper than nursery with the vouchers that start in jan.

At nursery she has a max of 1 staff member to 6 of them, do masses of fun things aimed at their age groups and has a cot to go and have a sleep in if she needs it.

I have decided that dd3 will stay at nursery until school can offer her a full time place.

A nursery will be your best option. They do the times that you require and they offer the same experiences as the pre-school, as they are both following the EYFS.
I work in a nursey and we are at the moment changing our rooms so that they are more of a pre-school environment with continious provision set up all the time, with free-flow play to the outside area. This is for the 2-3 room as well as for the pre-school room. We have the problem of having to use the rooms for feeding the children at dinner and tea, as they are with us all day. we intend to use rooms that are not being used to crrate dining rooms.
I wouldn't worry too much about your child not coping with the move to a different room. l;ook on it as apractice for when they go to school. Coping with transitions is a good skill to have.