re childcare costs

doolin101

Hi,

this is my first pregnancy and I am finding the childcare options a minefield! I am unsure which would be best- either creche or childminder? It is likly I will need flexibilty so the childminder option is probably best. Does anyone have anysuggestions of what the cost in the duleek/ashbourne/drogheda is? Do creches offer flexibilty? I have heard of people having to pay for a weekl but only attending 2/3 days a week?

any suggestions anyone?

Thanks in advance!

Nevyn

If you child has a place in a creche then the costs of running the creche and the staff have to be paid for, even if you don't have your child there 5 days aweek.

It is possible to do a part week if you are lucky that there is someone else who wants the other days of the week that your child won't be there.

It is a quandry the home enviroment and fexliblity a child minder offers is wonderfull but there is not the same assurances that you would have with a creche which is a business.

Gloomtastic!

I'd plum for the creche because your kid learns to socialise early. Never a bad thing. Plus creches don't go sick or on holidays.

When they start primary school, go for the childminder. Someone to do homework with them straight after school as opposed to when you get home from work and everyone's knackered.

My 2 cent..

tscul32

we've had ours in creche for 3 years now, either 3 days or 2 days and never had to pay for 5. The daily rate is slightly higher if they're part time but only creches that are full and would have to turn away a fulltime paying child to provide you with a part time place would be right to charge you for a full week. These days with many losing jobs there are more places available in creches. If you look at a creche that has been hit in this way they would be mad to turn down a parttime fee in favour of no fee. You can but ask.
For every advantage of a childminder over creche, there's one of a creche over childminder. Visit some creches, visit some chilminders and go with your gut, you'll probably find yourself drawn one way or another.

deisemum

I've used both, a childminder fulltime with my first child and a creche part-time for occasional childcare when I had my second.

The majority of childminders mind more than one child so socialising wouldn't be an issue especially as the childcare committees organise regular baby and toddler events and they may also attend parent and baby/toddler groups.

A lot of parents have a personal preference but sometimes availability can be the deciding factor. Different settings suit different family needs. What one family would consider an important aspect of the childcare service another family wouldn't consider it important.

I suggest you contact your local childcare committee and get a list of creches and notified and voluntary notified childminders in your area and visit a number of them to get a feel of what's offered, try to get recommendations from people. Trust your gut instinct.

There are good and bad creches and there are good and bad childminders.

When you have your baby and on maternity leave and attending the clinics it's worth asking the PHN (Public Health Nurse) for recommendations. Also if you go to the parent and baby/toddler groups you'd find out a lot of local info from other parents.

Here are some links that will give you some info on childcare and what to look for and sample questions to ask each childcare provider.

http://www.childminding.ie/parents.htm

http://www.rollercoaster.ie/childcare/childcare_types.asp

Always check references, you'd be amazed at how many parents don't.