How to choose
It's essential that you research different types of childcare to see what would best suit you and your child.
Children find it hard to adjust to frequent disruptions in their childcare. It helps to think about:
- what kind of setting you want your child in. A home-based setting where adult ratios to children are a lot smaller? A bigger setting where there are more children within their age range?
- the hours you will need childcare for. Do you work standard work hours or irregular shifts?
- the location
- how much it costs. Some settings offer Government-funded places for certain entitlements
- do they have places for your child? Are they able to cater to your child's needs?
- your child's happiness and opportunities to develop
- the care your child will receive from the childcare provider
- if you can depend on the childcare provider
- your needs and your child's needs for the next few months and the longer term
Write a shortlist of childcare providers you would like to visit.
Visiting your shortlisted settings
Before you decide on a childcare provider, it is a good idea to visit your shortlisted settings. You may choose to see more than one setting and visit more than once to help you decide.
Think about taking your child with you to meet the childcare setting. You will be able to see:
- how they get on with other children
- how the child carer interacts with your child
Try visiting at a time when there will be children in the setting. Check to see if the other children seem happy and relaxed.
Ask other people who use the setting how they feel and how their child is getting on. The setting may be able to provide details of people who will be happy to talk to you.
When you visit a childcare provider, you may want to check:
- staff qualifications and how many children they supervise
- how they will prepare for your child
- how safe and secure the rooms and outdoor area are
- what plans they have for emergencies
- how they adapt play activities
- if the equipment is varied, high quality and creative
- if the children seem happy and interested in what they're doing
- how they promote positive behaviour
- how they update you about your child's day and what they learnt
- how you can raise issues and concerns
- what food they provide
- how they work with other professionals and your child
Do not be afraid to ask about fees and payments, including deposits and sibling discounts.
If your employer offers a childcare voucher scheme via your salary, let the child carer know. It is free for them to sign up to your employer's scheme. They can sign up to as many as they choose.
