Childminder or creche?

LegacyUser

My boyfriend and I are currently expecting our first baby, and are considering our options for childcare.

We both work 9.00-5.30 Monday to Friday, and I will be taking the standard 26 weeks maternity leave before returning to work.

I gather a creche will cost approximately €1,000 a month. I was never entirely comfortable with the idea of creches, especially for a baby only a few months old ... and of course the recent controversy has only added to my fears.

At the moment I feel that, for at least the first year or two, a childminder might be a more suitable option. The big advantage with a creche would be socialisation, from being around more children - however to me that's not as important until he's a toddler. I'd prefer the more personal attention from a childminder while he's still a baby. Would love to hear more pros and cons of creches vs childminders!

I also have a few questions about getting a childminder. Firstly, how do I go about finding one - can anyone recommend any boards, websites, etc? Secondly, what should I be looking for? Are there certain qualifications required, or any regulations to be met that I should be asking about? Thirdly, how much does a childminder cost as compared to a creche? And is the parent expected to provide meals and nappies etc on top of the cost? (For that matter, does the parent pay for these things in a creche, too?)

Also, for either creche or childminder, how far in advance do we need to start looking and when would we have to make a definite decision? (I'm not due for another few months.)

And if we're not happy (whichever option we go for), how much notice would usually be expected before moving the child elsewhere?

We're based in Dublin 15, if that makes a difference.

Any general advice would be much appreciated - we're new to all this!

scb66

Hi. Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy and the birth. I'm not an expert but will share from my limited experience
With regard to your questions about childminders that's something you need to agree with the person,you hire, holidays, food, hours of business, it seems everyone has different agreements. You will have to supply nappies, wipes and creams.

I would recommend hiring a childminder with a qualification, and those that are dedicated will be updating with other courses also.

Costs vary across the country, we paid 30 euro per day for a childminder. We were very lucky and she made our baby part of the family. She was very happy to be there. So when you meet people go with your instinct and watch how your baby is after the day.

Have to run! Good luck

lana-maye wrote: »

My boyfriend and I are currently expecting our first baby, and are considering our options for childcare.

We both work 9.00-5.30 Monday to Friday, and I will be taking the standard 26 weeks maternity leave before returning to work.

I gather a creche will cost approximately €1,000 a month. I was never entirely comfortable with the idea of creches, especially for a baby only a few months old ... and of course the recent controversy has only added to my fears.

At the moment I feel that, for at least the first year or two, a childminder might be a more suitable option. The big advantage with a creche would be socialisation, from being around more children - however to me that's not as important until he's a toddler. I'd prefer the more personal attention from a childminder while he's still a baby. Would love to hear more pros and cons of creches vs childminders!

I also have a few questions about getting a childminder. Firstly, how do I go about finding one - can anyone recommend any boards, websites, etc? Secondly, what should I be looking for? Are there certain qualifications required, or any regulations to be met that I should be asking about? Thirdly, how much does a childminder cost as compared to a creche? And is the parent expected to provide meals and nappies etc on top of the cost? (For that matter, does the parent pay for these things in a creche, too?)

Also, for either creche or childminder, how far in advance do we need to start looking and when would we have to make a definite decision? (I'm not due for another few months.)

And if we're not happy (whichever option we go for), how much notice would usually be expected before moving the child elsewhere?

We're based in Dublin 15, if that makes a difference.

Any general advice would be much appreciated - we're new to all this!

Moonbeam

Have a chat wit some childminders and look at some creches and see what you think.
Childminding Ireland has some helpful tips www.childminding.ie

Lola92

Both creche and childminders have benefits. With a creche even if your child's carer is out sick/on holidays there will be replacement cover staff to look after your child, which is not usually the case with a childminders. Currently, my OH and I are having to take our annual leave at a time that is unsuitable for us because our childminders is going away then. Although this is something that you could organise ahead of time in your initial discussions.

Some smaller creches do have a homely feel that you get with a childminder but usually less one to one attention, as creches adhere to higher ratios in general. One of the negative aspects are that your child may be exposed to a lot of illness and resulting you could have to take time off work frequently until their immunity builds up.

Our daughter is 2.5 and has been with a childminder since she was 9.5 months old. She is a friend of the family and I have known her since I was a child so that eliminated a lot of trust issues that can arise. Although in some cases it would perhaps be easier to have no previous relationship, IMO it is more of a professional relationship and you wouldn't have the same feeling if potentially stepping on toes if there is a conflict in parenting styles.

Your first port of call should be your local county childcare committee. They will have a list of all registered childminders and creches in the area and from there you can go about contacting them individually.

I am studying early childhood care and education and I have had the experience of being the service provider as well as the parent so that helped somewhat, being able to see things from both perspectives.

In a creche you should be looking for a key worker system, open door policy, garde vetting and staff qualifications, recent hse inspection reports, child protection policies, behaviour management, first aid qualifications etc.

In a childminders i would be looking for them to be registered and insured, first aid and ideally a childcare qualification, especially if they are not a parent themselves. I would ask for contact details to speak to a current/past parent about their experiences, have a look around the house, is it clean, proper sleeping facilities, if they have to do a school run have they got adequate car insurance, car seats, will you be expected to supply meals and snacks for the child, what is the daily routine like, look at condition if toys andand garden space etc. much of it is common sense but early childhood Ireland and Barnardos both have parents guides to looking at childcare options so would be worth looking into those also.

LegacyUser

Hi there, my personal opinion is that a childminder trumps a creche. When I was returning to work, creche was never going to be an option for me as I wanted my little boy to have more one on one attention.
I, personally, was very lucky and found the most amazing childminder who became a second Mam to my son.
As a single parent, my childminder made my life so much easier to work fulltime and to commute to work daily.
I could drop my son off each morning in his pyjamas and his childminder would dress him and then later in the day have him back in fresh pyjamas in time for me to collect him.
She also supplied all items for him, nappies, wipes, powder and all food.
I used to pack a suitcase for my lb 3 times a year and she in turn would wash and iron his clothes resulting in me not having to pack a bag each week.
The added bonus too was if I was late due to whatever reason, she was always very understanding and unlike a creche, you have no other choice but to be there on time.
I will add that I commuted 80km roundtrip each day.

My childminder gave my son so much love. On days when he was sick, I'd come to collect him to see her cradling him in her arms. He loved going in each day and it was always a battle to get him to leave at the end of the day.

So again, in my personal opinion, the benefits of a childminder over a creche were immense. I wouldn't have had it any other way.

Theboinkmaster

My son is in a crèche as personally we prefer that to a minder. Lots of activities during the day and lots of socialising with kids his own age.

He loves it and some days won't go to my wife when she goes to pick him up.

What I would say is when we looked at creches I only looked at ones in Dublin that were not part of a chain (so for example Glenone in Rathgar), so independent creches that had low staff turnover and more personal. A lot of these were €900 per month rather than €1,000-1,100 of the chains and a lot of positive reviews online.

I never would use a chain like Giraffe as have seen and heard a lot of negative stories about them. I used to work near the one in Stepaside and the girls used to come into a shop I used in their orange tshirts and the only way I'd describe them would be absolute animals - think that's the same one a 2 year old got out of.

It's a personal choice so best of luck, maybe go visit a few creches and interview a few minders and go with your gut feeling.

pwurple

I think you can't generalise, I know some awful creches, and some great ones, and some awful childminders and some great ones. 

When I was in this situation, I did a lot of legwork. Visited the creches, visited childminders. Find what suits. Everyone has different priorities. 
For example, one childminder told me she had an 'open door policy' for visitors. While I was there, this random bloke from next door popped in, and she was making him tea while the babies she was minding were basically on the floor under the table. 
Another child minder didn't drive, and didn't like to go outside (garden was concrete), so the children were in two rooms from one end of the day to the other. 


A creche I tried to visit stank, and I mean really stank of dirty nappies both times I called to see it, and wouldn't let me in to see the place unless I made an appointment. (v bad sign, it actually closed down last year)

Eventually we picked a small creche, with 3 women in their 50's running it. It was in a house, with a big back garden in it, and the children there all doted on these women, they were like grannies. It was drizzling the day I was there, and the toddlers were outside in wellies and rain gear playing and running around. Suited us down to the ground, I'm all for fresh air. My children went there from the age of 5 months each. 

We never really had the illness thing... it was a small group, and also I sent in lunches, so I think my kids weren't hitting food cross-contamination either. And, I added on the optional vaccines that you pay extra for, chicken-pox, rotavirus. 


So, yeah, I wouldn't tie yourself down. Keep an open mind and check out what's local to you.

Lizzy8

We found a minder fantastic, my little one kept picking up every bug in the crèche when they were young. Playschool was great though when they were 3.

Millem

My son is 3 and 3 months. We have always used a childminder and they have never had a sick day!!! I am a teacher so in fairness he has only gone term time and 3.5 days a week. Even now he is in a home based Montesorri that is ECCe also. Owner is the teacher and also minds him after the ECCe hours.

I looked at cr?ches none where big chains and they just weren't for me. If though you work long hours early and late I know they are really the only option for parents.

Look up the website moonbeam suggested
Best of luck