Finding Childcare
How do I find out what childcare is available?
Every local authority has a children's information service that can provide parents with a comprehensive list of childcare available in their local area and describe the different types and the options open to them. More informally, parents might speak to other parents or get information via their school or via their GP about services that are available locally.
How do I know which childcare suits me?
The decision to decide which childcare service to use is a very personal one. You need to look at what will best suit your own child, which location is best for you? What type of child care is best? You may prefer a nursery or you may prefer a child minder. You may also want to speak to your other parents and other friends, as to which type of child care best suited them. That is a particularly good way of getting a recommendation. You can always look at reports and formal information about childcare services in your area to find out about the particular services they offer. Visiting and checking out the service is absolutely vital before you start an arrangement.
What is a nannyshare'?
A nannyshare is where more than one family employs a nanny to look after all their children. This is valuable because it can reduce the cost of the nanny. It may also mean that one families house is more suitable than another, and its often a more common arrangement these days to have a nanny share.
Where can I find a nanny?
The best way to find a nanny is through a nanny agency. A nanny agency can find a suitable nanny for you or potentially set up a nanny share arrangement. The other place is advertising for a nanny. The most common places nationally are in The Lady or in The Nursery World, but you may try an advert at a more local level too.
What should I consider when looking for childcare?
The most important consideration is that your child is going to be happy, safe, and develop safely within the childcare that you choose. So it's going to be important to see that the childcare is the right one for your child, and that will probably include visiting the childcare and getting references. You also need to consider cost, and flexibility, and location. These are all important factors because it is going to be a very regular visit for you.
Do childminders have to have qualifications?
Yes, childminders have to have completed an introductory course before they can become registered as childminders, and they'll also have to had completed a first-aid certificate. In addition to that, other checks would have been carried out on the premises they're using for childminding, and checks carried out on all of the family members in the childminder's house. Many childminders are qualified beyond these basic levels and often are very experienced childcarers.
Should a nanny have a first aid certificate?
Nannies are not required by law to have first aid certificates. It is something the parents certainly would want to speak to the nanny about. Under the approval scheme, nannies would always be required to have first aid certificates.
What is an approved' nanny?
An "approved" nanny will have met several specific requirements from the government, and these include having a first aid qualification, having a Criminal Records Bureau check, and having a recognized child care qualification.
What should I ask a childminder or nanny when I'm interviewing them?
The most important thing to ask a childminder or nanny is about their experience of looking after children--what ages of children and how long they've been working with children. It's also very important to find out the kind of day and the kind of activities they'll carry out with your child. Will they take them to the park, will they go take them to local drop-in centers, for example. Childminders and nannies will have a range of experience, and it's very important that you understand this before you go and choose one. Also, you may well want to let your child spend a bit of time with the childminder or nanny to see what kind of rapport they can build with the nanny or childminder.
