Deciding on childcare

[Bee46]

Hi

We're new to the area and close to Denmark Hill. Our LO will be 9 months when we have to go back to work (four days a week) and so my mind is starting to turn to childcare.

Have seen a nursery but am quite keen on a childminder or nanny share as she'll only be 9 months and I like the social idea of this. If I'm honest I also like the idea that other parents trust the carer. We could afford a nanny I think, but at present slightly freaking out about trusting one person with LO.

How did you decide on what worked best and, more importantly, how on earth do we find a good minder or nanny? Any recommendations hugely gratefully recieved!

B

[kerry.finlay]

We chose nanny sharing for our daughter when she was 11 months for the social side and felt happier leaving her with a nanny. The best part of our share is that we joined a family who we really connected with, who had had their nanny sole charge for 3/4 years already, which we felt really helped (rather than recruiting from scratch). I felt more able to trust her with our daughter because we were walking into an established set up.

Good luck!

[Anna M]

I decided on a nanny share for my son when I returned to work (he was about 10 or 11 months when she started). I actually employed her myself and then she introduced me to another person who had contacted her about a share, and we got on really well (are still friends). It was lovely feeling that I could leave him in my home and he would have a lovely relationship with someone. When I started looking for childcare I felt nervous, like you, and had a whole list of things I was looking for. I looked at nurseries first, and then thought I didn't want to do that until he was older. Then I interviewed various nannies - I went to see about one established nanny share but wasn't sure I'd get on with the original parent's style of care. I talked to about three other nannies. When I met the one I chose, I knew it was right - not by anything on my list, but by how I felt instinctively about how she and my child got on. I thought she'd connect with him, listen to him, have a lot of fun with him, and love him to bits. And I found that my list went out of the window. When he went to nursery when he was about two, I chose in the same way - instead of choosing the one that ticked all my boxes, I chose the one that made me feel like I wanted to stay and play. So for what it's worth, I'd say make your list, speak and see prospective areas, and then just leave it for a few days and check what your gut says.

Good luck.