due to unexpected family problems i need to get Paige some childcare while me and oh work

Thought it would be an easy case of googling local day nurseries/childminers in my area and picking a few to view, but OMG how wrong was i things never that easy!

So working mummies please help... how did you find your nusery/childminder? is there like a list in your local area that i dont know about?
how long did you have to wait for a place and finally approx how much do you pay? she will be dropped off around 7.30ish and picked up 1ish?

I know i dont post/reply much on here but browse all the time and would really appreciate the help as am sooo confused

I could be wrong but I think the local council will have a list of registered/checked childminders so you know they are legit otherwise you might have to go by word of mouth.

i used this site to find mine
http://www.childcare.co.uk/?gclid=CJ_5hZHbl6cCFcomfAod_CubbQ good luck xx

thanks gemz i will try that now x

hey.

well I just knew the nurseries in my area just by passing really. I arranged visits for them all and chose the one that felt right to me.

the nursery hannah attends just now is a part council part private and the waiting list is huge. I had to put her name down 10 months before she got a place.
the first nursery she attended was private and they accepted her straight away. that nursery was 150 a week for full time hours. the one shes in now is 115 a week.
when she got offered a place in the nursery shes in now I took it because it has a great reputation, great staff and its in a better location.

also my hv told me about a nursery that I didnt know about so maybe get in touch with yours.

also the nursery she is with just now accepted the little girl of someone I know as an emergency place because of issues she was having with her other nursery. so if you cant be offered a place straight away in the one you want ask if your situation would mean she could get offered an emergency place.

also all the nurseries I looked at opened at 8am
x

I'm not a working mum hun but when I was supposed to be going back after mat leave with Thomas (they made me redundant ) I used this search on direct.gov:

http://childcarefinder.direct.gov.uk/childcarefinder/

just pop your postcode in and it will give you a list of all nurseries/childminders/schools etc and the distance from your postcode

Hope it helps and you find something soon

xx

tried the website n bugger all in my area aaahhhhhhhhh

thanks steph might give HV a ring tomorrow and see if she has any suggestions fingers crossed

will try that website now debs

x

ive jst recently started evan at nursery, the local council have a childcare list on there website that gives ratings and info about the nurseries, i had orginally picked the nursery at the bottom of our road its new and since it opened id heard nothing but good things about it and as it was only 2mins away really convenient for if i didnt have car or needed my mum to pick him up cos she lives beside me but i was told waitin list wud be after summer at earliest before i got him a place
so i went to the other nursery which is again 5 min away not heard anything bad about it so thought wud give them a phone go down have a look went down it was fine not as nice as the other one but staff were really friendly and there werent to many kids like the room evan is in the limit is 7 kids and there is 3 nursery nurses so they are able to give plenty of attention to each kid, there is more kids in the older room but again not to many and plenty of staff so each kid is gettin exactly what they need, they had a place straight away and evan loves it
ive kept his name on waitin list for other nursery but since he likes it so much at this one i think ill keep him there

Net mums has a childcare section Hun x

and breathe

I used the website Debs put up. Where do you live Rach? PM your postcode and I will have a look for you.

Once you can get hold of a few to look at have a think about the sort of childcare you want for Paige: nursery or childminder, what you want her to get from the experience, how you will get her there and back, how much flexibility you need.

I can't comment on nurseries because I always wanted Wil to be with a childminder so didn't bother with them. For childminders you are considering it is best to visit when they have children so you can see how they are with them and then visit again when they don't once you have narrowed it down so you can have a proper conversation.

I visited 4 childminders before I chose Wil's and I just knew she was right for him (I was still pregnant at the time). My childminder held Wil's place for 8 months because she was so convinced she wanted him. I just paid her a month up front to hold the place.

Wil is a full-timer (7.45am-5.45pm 5 days a week). I pay my childminder £3.40 per hour plus £2.50 a day for Wil's food (Wil eats like a teenager). I also pay for any paid clubs they go to (Wil goes to soft play once a week and that is £2.50)

I highly recommend childminders because mine is fantastic and Wil loves her so much. He gets out and about everyday, has made great friends and is very much a part of his childminder's family.

Feel free to PM me if you want more help or just reassuring.

If anything it will be good for Paige and you because you will be spending some time apart so will appreciate each other even more when you are together. Paige also gets the opportunity to meet other kids and have different experiences to those she has with you.

The notice/parent board at my Tesco has a few ad's with childminders as does local paper (be sure to check their certs when you visit).

Caitlin was on list for a nursery for 10mths before I got offered a place, and even then it was really random hours and not full time like I had initially requested. Didnt take it because by then Id decided not to go back to work anyway. They opened at 7 or 730am so there is some nurserys that open earlier.

My childminder starts at 7.30 and I have even dropped Wil off at 7.15 when I have needed to be in London early. I have also been late collecting him and she is fine about it.

Also check ofsted all childcare is now assessed and that will help find what's best.

Good luck, it took me ages to find good childcare over the years for rich.

Also with xhildminder look at ones near school you like, then there no change when Lo starts school/ nursery

thanks for all replies i feel better now, just hate that am being sort of rushed into the whole thing

gill thankyou thats extremely reassuring and tbh i never really thought about a childminder before your post so that has given me another option and i love how fondly you speak of yours

thanks again x

good luck!

it will all work out fine. you will know what feels right for you

xxx