Childcare for a baby

[Lolo]

Hi,

I'm currently 5 months pregnant and starting to think about childcare for once I've had the baby and am back at work. I'm only able to take 6 months off work and so will need childcare for four days a week from when the baby is about 6 months old. I wondered if anyone could offer me any advice on nurseries, childminders or nannies in East Dulwich and what the costs of each may be. I understand that I may need to register for nurseries up to a year in advance, which is why I'm starting my research now.

Any advice / help would be much appreciated,

Thank

[prdarling]

A nanny is a nice option but the most expensive. ?10 + per hour plus tax and NI unless I am mistaken?? Great if you have the cash, not if you work from home of course as they will be there all the time!

Wouldn't go for nursery for a baby. Many will disagree but I think babies need to be an environment similar to being with their mother. A nursery does not fulfil this need.

Personally I would go for a childminder. Much more of a home from home enironment than a nursery - all the nanny care but with half the cost ?5 ish per hour, no extras. They nap in a proper cot and have a day structured much more like a day at home would be, plus the bonus that they are in someone else's house so get to enjoy loads of other toys, plus they often have another 1 or 2 companions to play with.

I would go for close care and then a nursery from around 2 ish when they want more socialisation. I'm afraid many of the nurseries in SE22/21 have a 2 year waiting list though

It's such a personal choice though, you need to go and view as much as possible ASAP. Good luck

[The Nappy Lady]

I'm with prdarling, strongly feel that a childminder is the best option for under 2's.

Keep a look out in the Family Room Classifieds as childminders often advertise there, and get the list of childminders from Southwark Council too. Visit as many as you can, maybe once on maternity leave, with a view to finding a couple that really 'feel right'.....you've got plenty of time, and don't worry if they don't have space now, but ask if they will let you put your name down. This is how I got my 1st choice childminder many years ago, and she's had my girls ever since - over 5 years now, my youngest at just 2 still goes there 3 days per week. My older girl begs to go there in the school holidays!

Things do change, children move on to nursery or school so places become free - they may not be willing to commit to you now of course, even if they think it is likely they will have a place at the right time, but if you find a couple you like that is a good thing as at least you will feel you have a couple of options.

When my eldest had chicken pox she was still able to go to her childminder as she was the last of the children there to catch it (got infected by another child who was there too). She was totally fine in herself, but infectious, so if I had been using a nursery I'd have had to take a week off work (nightmare), I was so glad of my wonderful childminder that week.

Good luck!

[Lolo]

Thanks for the advice, much appreciated. Sounds like a childminder is the way to go.

[Moos]

A nannyshare is a good option if you can find a suitable family to share with and a good nanny - makes the 'platinum option' a lot more affordable. It's great to have your child cared for in your own home (at least part of the time), but it's still more expensive than a childminder.

[cate]

Childminders only get ?5 per hour? That is less than the minimum wage!

[Helen GV]

yes but that's per child, so if they have three children to look after it's a bit better than min wage!

edited to say that I'm glad I wasn't the only one up early this morning :o) 4.48 to be exact...

[nylonmeals]

You can find nannies for about ?8 an hour (though of course there is tax and NI)Echo the view that at 6 months I'd try and do a nanny/nanny-share in a home.

SimplyChildcare.com is very useful website that specializes in SE London (I think).

http://www.simplychildcare.com/index.asp

There are some nurseries that start at 2 years old like The Villa that might be worth putting their name down for now.

[cate]

Helen GV Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> yes but that's per child, so if they have three

> children to look after it's a bit better than min

> wage!

>

> edited to say that I'm glad I wasn't the only one

> up early this morning :o) 4.48 to be exact...

Is that rate set by someone? What if they only had one child? I still would have thought that the minimum wage would have to be paid for each child, which is nearly ?6 per hour now for over age 21.

[Fuschia]

cate Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

>

> Is that rate set by someone? What if they only

> had one child? I still would have thought that

> the minimum wage would have to be paid for each

> child, which is nearly ?6 per hour now for over

> age 21.

Minbders aren't employed, but self-employed

[Helen GV]

childminders are self-employed and set their own rate

sorry, crossed posts again...

[nylonmeals]

very unusual for a childminder to only look after 1 child

[minder]

It does happen - especially if the childminder has her own children under 5.