Work and child care

[Lulabell]

I have not yet decided what I am doing about going back to work. I have no one to look after Joshua for me i.e. grandparents, parents, or siblings as they are either of poor health, working or 250 miles away. So my only option would be to look into nurseries. I'm dreading it to be honest. With the news items of carers abusing babies and toddlers, it has made me not want to put my child in that position. My only other option is to find an evening/weekend job.

What is everyone else's plans? How much does nurseries cost? How do you go about finding one? I'm all abit lost with all of this. Doesn't help that I feel sick thinking about leaving my boy. But I do intend on doing some sort of work to help financially.

 

[Titch85]

I know I am slightly biased as I work in childcare, but you only hear the bad stories about nurseries in the press. You don't hear about the thousands of positive experiences! The best thing for you to do is to make appointments to view different nurseries in your area and see what you think. They all differ so much. When you enquire, ask for an information pack to be sent out to you and it should include prices etc.

You can look on childcare.co.uk or daynurseries.co.uk to see what's in your area.

 

[MrsR]

I also worked in nurseries and, as titch85 rightly said, you only hear the horror stories in the news, not the millions of positive stories!
Again as titch85 has said, do your research. Visit nurseries in your area, or the area near your work, talk to the workers, talk to the parents, watch, listen and examine everything. Ask as many questions as you like. Nurseries vary in prices, the company I worked for varied from site to site in just one town!

 

[Titch85]

Questions to ask/things to consider:

1. Is there a safe and clean outside play area? Is the interior bright, clean and welcoming?

2. What sort of meals are provided and at what time? Are special diets catered for? Are the menus varied?

3. Do the children look happy and occupied? Are staff interacting well?

4. Are the staff happy, relaxed, well presented, calm and confident?

5. Ask about the staff to children ratios. The guidelines are:
0-2 years ~ 1:3
2-3 years ~ 1:4
3-5 years ~ 1:8

6. Half the staff must hold relevant childcare qualifications such as NVQ Childcare Level 2 or equivalent. One staff member should have a First Aid certificate and all of the supervisors must have an NVQ Childcare Level 3 or equivalent.

7. How much is it and what's included?

8. How are your child's activities and achievements recorded? Will your child have a key worker? Who is your main point of contact?

9. Ask about staff turnover - how long do members of staff stay and how often do they leave? Some children find a change of carer disruptive and unsettling.

10. Ask about diet, potty training, emergency procedures, discipline and other nursery policies.

 

[jojo_2012]

My son has been at a childminder full time during the week for many years but I can't use her now she's too far away and I've heard a lot of bad stories from Charlie since I left.

To be very honest the idea of putting the baby in a nursery or with a childminder fills me with so much dread that I really don't want to go back to work. There's a nursery at work that's £45 a day and you have to bring your own food and nappies. I think I'm going to find out the minimum I can work, then hopefully my mum who works part time can have him for that short period then I can be a SAHM. I definitely can't pay back the maternity pay it's something like £15k.

 

[Lulabell]

What is this about paying back maternity pay? If I decided to not return to work, would I have to pay it back?x

 

[Titch85]

I don't think you have to pay back SMP, but if you get extra from your company, there maybe something in the policy that says you have to pay it back if you don't return to them.

 

[Mrs N]

Im not going back as it wont be worth it once I have paid out for nursery fees plus I dont want to leave my little man, I do holiday cover for my old company so my mum and dad will have him when im doing that but it will only be a couple of days a week for a couple of weeks!!
xxx

 

[Lulabell]

I only get SMP not any extra so I shouldn't need to pay any back? I know they won't want me to leave. They have really struggled with staff lately and I have been there over three years and know all the ins and outs. They have already offered me to go back on part time hours. It's just the travel time of 45 mins each way that is making me unsure.x

 

[katie_lou]

Am going back to work 3 days a week and for one of them days she will be in nursery . It's 45 a day and that includes all of there milk, nappies and food .

I picked the nursery as it got a brilliant ofsted report , they also had an open door policy so you could go in at anytime and view the nursery.

Cxx

 

[Princess81]

Questions to ask/things to consider:

1. Is there a safe and clean outside play area? Is the interior bright, clean and welcoming?

2. What sort of meals are provided and at what time? Are special diets catered for? Are the menus varied?

3. Do the children look happy and occupied? Are staff interacting well?

4. Are the staff happy, relaxed, well presented, calm and confident?

5. Ask about the staff to children ratios. The guidelines are:
0-2 years ~ 1:3
2-3 years ~ 1:4
3-5 years ~ 1:8

6. Half the staff must hold relevant childcare qualifications such as NVQ Childcare Level 2 or equivalent. One staff member should have a First Aid certificate and all of the supervisors must have an NVQ Childcare Level 3 or equivalent.

7. How much is it and what's included?

8. How are your child's activities and achievements recorded? Will your child have a key worker? Who is your main point of contact?

9. Ask about staff turnover - how long do members of staff stay and how often do they leave? Some children find a change of carer disruptive and unsettling.

10. Ask about diet, potty training, emergency procedures, discipline and other nursery policies.

Thanks for that, very helpful list

 

[lewisca]

I've just gone back to work 3x 12.5 hr shifts so Rhea is only in nursery 2 days and with hubby the other day our nursery is £40 per day including food but not formula or nappies. One of the things that made my mind bout our nursery is its quite small only 22 kids in total and the have an open door policy was really reassured that the had nothing to hide as I didn't have to make an appointment to go see them. Have used the nursery for 5 yrs now as Ethan went there and I have Kian still there with rhea starting tomorrow. It is a really hard decision xxx

 

[Bee7]

I will only be going back to work part time because i don't really want to put Jack in a nursery at 9 months. Plus i can't afford it. My family and OH will be looking after Jack while i'm at work part time, but obviously can't rely on them for full time hours. The money will be very tight but i wouldn't want to be away from him full time, it seems like such a lot of hours. I think part time will give me a nice work/home balance, just hope we won't be too skint! x

 

[winnie89]

because my husband only works 16 hours i have been told by the tax credits people i have got to return to work in november for 8 hrs a week it'll be on hubbys day off so i dont have to pay child care or anything i dont mind going back to do one shift. work this out ladies the tax credits have said to me if i dont go back to work they'll knock £20 off my rent (nothing off council tax) but hubby has to do 24 hrs on his own if i go back and do 8 (hubby will be doing 16) i'll have to pay full rent but they'll give me an extra £20 working tax i no better off either way! :s

 

[Belfast girl]

Emma is just starting her settling in at nursery and think she will love it. I just went on my gut feelings on choosing one- all the children were very friendly when we went round - came and showed us what they ahd made, plus they had just been baking and the place smelled deliecious!

I can't pin point why we choose is, obvioulsy we chekced the hime reports (scotland) but had reccommendations from 3 different people. Its small (30 in total, 6 babies) and the girls are all dead on.

It breaks my heart everynight when I pack her wee bag but ultimatly I know she will get a lot out of it. I know some people say 10 months is too young for babies to socialise with each other but having spied on her from a window I know this is not true!

Sorry not so helpful but just wanted to say the lead up to it is awful but once you get started it gets easier. I wish I could stay at home with her always but in the long run I think this way is better for her!

 

[jojo_2012]

What is this about paying back maternity pay? If I decided to not return to work, would I have to pay it back?x

I get extra but I seriously wish I didn't right now. I meant to put £5k btw not 15 but still!

 

[lewisca]

Both my Boys went to nursery at 6 mths and rhea is 7 mths boys loved it and Rhea has got on well at her settles we get no help anymore so I need to work as much as I can on as few days as poss hence the 12.5 hr shifts !! But I get 4 whole days with my babies xxx

 

[Sarah13]

I've got the same problem except Ill be going back to uni so won't even be earning to pay for childcare. I went to a place today which was cross between a nursery and a child minder. It was basically a small nursery but in a large house so the manager lives there, they had a big extension and the lady who owned it was really enthusiastic and helpful. Its ideal I think so Im probably going to book it once I've done the more formal checking. Really hate the thought of leaving him, it made it worse looking at some places!