How do I find childcare
that meets my needs?
First ask
yourself 'what are my needs?' Write down:
- When you need to leave for work and when you get
home.
- If you want childcare near your home, or your
child's intended school, or if you want it near where you work or
study.
- What sort of person you want to look after your
child - what you expect them to be like and what you want out of
them.
- What sort of place you want them to be in - your
own home, someone else's home, in a school or other shared building
or a purpose-built building.
- And if your child is old enough ask her or his
opinion.
What do I look
for?
Then find out what sort of childcare might meet your
needs and wishes.
Click here for a list of the types of
childcare you could choose from. Ask
yourself:
- Which meets my needs most closely?
- Which would meet the particular needs of my
child?
- Which do I feel most comfortable
about?
What are the key ingredients of
good childcare?
No matter what type of childcare you consider, look
for these four basic ingredients:
- a safe, protective environment;
- the opportunity for your child to form stable
relationships with caring adults and other children;
- adequate stimulation that is appropriate to your
child's age; and
- an enjoyable experience for you
child.
How do I find
childcare?
Once you have narrowed your search down to one or
two types of provider find out if there are any in your area. Or
you can search for childcare on line now at
www.childcarelink.gov.uk
Or alternatively call the Suffolk Families
Information Service on 0845 60 800 33 and talk to
one of our operators. They will give you free independent
advice.
How should I contact a
childcare provider?
Once you have contact details of some childcare
providers give them a call. Sounds simple - but this can be the
hardest bit for some parents:
- How do I introduce myself?
- What do I ask them?
- Is it OK to talk about money?
- How can I tell if I can trust
them?
These questions concern most parents and the best
advice is to be prepared. Have
a
list of questions to ask the childcare
provider beside you when you make the
first phone call. The most important thing to do is to arrange to
visit the childcare provider.
How do I arrange to visit a
childcare provider?
Once you have contacted a few childcare
providers arrange to visit two or three that you like best.
The most important thing is to take your child with you. You are
going to trust someone with your child's well-being and you need to
know what they are like, if they measure up to your standards and
if you can see your child being happy with them.
It is only by visiting and comparing different providers that you
will be able to make a good choice.
What if they don't want
me to visit?
If a childcare
provider does not seem keen for you to visit, please
phone the Suffolk Families Information Service on
0845 60 800 33 so we can understand why.
Any suitable childcare provider will expect you to check them
out.