Parental Information

Whether you work in an office with others or have made the decision to work from home and combine this with a degree of flexible working, you may well be looking for advice and help with childcare. There is no single best choice when choosing childcare; the decision that you make will depend on cost, availability, the age of your child and the number of hours of care that you will need.

Childcare is ...
a mind-boggling area that can leave even the most calm of parents confused and apprehensive. The emotions that are attached to the prospect of leaving your child in the care of someone other than yourself make choosing childcare a pretty challenging area to navigate, no matter how practically minded you are!

Making a decision that is as informed and carefully considered as possible is really important if everyone is going to be happy with the arrangements - you don't want to drop your kids off at their childcare and spend the rest of the day worrying about it.

So, whether you're looking for somewhere to drop your little ones off for an hour or so while you enjoy some well-earned 'me time' or a more long-term provision to care for your children while you're at work remember to find a number of suitable providers and spend some time talking to them, talk to other parents, ask for references and follow them up.

If you are looking for a childminder, a crèche or a nursery make sure you look at all their qualities carefully before making a selection - and if you aren't happy with any of them, keep looking at alternative options....

• Make contact and arrange interviews with or visits to all suitable providers(you should try to see at least a number of people in order to find the most suitable for you and your family);
• Make a list of questions that you want to ask each provider: 
• What hours will they work? How much will it cost, and what does that include? What about sickness and holidays? Can cover be arranged? If possible arrange a trial visit (or two) where you and your child can be present alongside other children in the setting. 
• Call your child care provider and arrange a time to finalise agreements - use it to go through the details of the contract, any outstanding questions and to get a feel for how they will work with your children; 

How many children can a childminder look after?
Ratios for how many children a childminder can look after are set by the Government's National Standards. For childminders they are as follows:

• 6 children under the age of 8 
• of these 6, no more than 3 may be under 5 years of age 
• of these 3, no more than 1 child may be under the age of one (however exceptions can be made for multiple births or for continuity of care - caring for the siblings of existing children)

Children who are 4, but who are attending school full time can be classed as age 5 for the purposes of these ratios.

How many staff should there be at a nursery?
Staff : Child ratios for day nurseries are set by the National Standards. Nurseries are required to meet this level of staff as a minimum. 

• 1:3 - children under 2 years of age 
• 1:4 - children aged 2 years
• 1:8 - children aged 3-7 years

The ratios include any children of staff or volunteers. Regular volunteers can be included in these staff ratios, but students on short-term placements cannot. These staffing levels must be maintained during outings and in some circumstances it may be necessary to have more staff available. There must be suitable arrangements in place to maintain staff:child ratios during staff holidays, sickness, emergencies etc.

Choosing childcare and early education is a big step for you and your child. You can find out about the childcare and early education services in your area from your local Children's Information Service. Ask about opening hours, price, age of children and if there is a space for your child.

There are lots of differences between different types of childcare, early education or pre-school services and also between individual childminders, nurseries, nursery classes or out of school clubs. Try and give yourself enough time to visit several possible options in your area to get a good idea of what could suit your child. Don't forget you are the expert on your child and should trust your feelings. It can be a good idea to take your child with you to see how staff talk to him or her. Try to go when children are there so you can see if they are calm, happy and busy.
How long have you been working with children?
Have you undertaken any training for your job? Any qualifications?
Do you enjoy being with children and why?
Can I look around the building to see the rooms and outside play space? If there is no outside play space - how will you make sure my child gets the chance to play outside?
Where will my child rest?
What kind of food and drink will you give?
What will my child do all day? How do you encourage good behaviour?
Will my child be with a regular group of children? How old are they? How will their timetable fit in with my child?
How will you make sure I know how my child is getting on?

Always take up references. You could ask for names of other parents to talk to about your chosen service. Listen to your child and find out more if he or she seems unhappy. Always trust your own feelings about your childcare - you know your child best.

When you visit your chosen childcare options think of the following;
Are the children calm, safe and happy?
Does your child feel secure enough to take an interest in their surroundings?
Do children play and talk together?
Are you comfortable? Your feelings are invaluable, if you are not satisfied with the provision offered, look around at other providers or re-visit another time, It is a big step choosing childcare for the first time, be honest with yourself, sometimes it is difficult to let go.
Are the staff listening to children and answering them carefully?
Are the staff friendly and proud of their work?
Are the staff joining in with what the children are doing?
Are there lots of fun activities planned to help children learn and play and can children plan some of these themselves?
Are there plenty of clean toys and equipment for children to use?
Is the premises clean, well-kept and safe for children with a fun outside play area (or will children go to parks and other places regularly)?
Do parents have plenty of chances to say what they want for their children?
If there are other things you want to know, do not be afraid to ask. Good childcare staff expect you to ask questions and will be happy to answer them even if it is days later!