How Do Creches Work?

Kintarō Hattori

OK so an odd title but what I mean by that is in relation to leaving our little one into a creche. She's 5 months old now and my partner will be heading back to work around March. I work 5 days a week, Monday to Friday but the company I work for would most likely allow me to work from home one day a week. My partner when she goes back to work will be working 3 days a week initially.

Does a creche charge you a fee based on a period of a week or based on how long you have your child in with them?

We're trying to figure out if when she goes back we can structure things in such a way so as to have her in a creche as little as possible. That may not be viable though and we may have to leave her in longer than we'd like.

annoyedgal

It really varies fee wise depending on the creche. Some will give you a rate for a shortened week, others might expect you to pay a full rate. Definitely start looking now and ship around. Check out the fees but also the feel you get the different creches, menus, activities etc. Try to ask other parents for feedback too. Tulsa reports should be available for you to look at. We left it to a few months before I went back to work and basically had only one option as everywhere was full!
Place came up a year later in another creche and we moved him. Much nicer vibe, better food etc.
It's worth putting the ground work in now.

bp

My creche charged for a set number of days each week regardless if the child was in attendance or not. If they are usually in mondays you will get charged for bank holiday mondays etc. Or if foff sick you pay.

With regard working from home, I could not mind my child and do my work properly at the same time, especially with phones calls etc. I worked with people who did days from home and they needed child minders for that day and to sit in a completely different part of the house.

I would recommend a creche near home as oppsed to work as 1) if parent is sick from work or taking a day off to get things done/ relax etc you don't want to commute most the way to your office and then home again 2) you don't want a hungry/ tired child sitting in rush hour traffic when they would rather be in warm happy creche.

If possible get one with a nice outdoor space (I found it lovely to see them outside) and one where you get taken into your childs room at drop off and collection so you can see where they play and watch them interact instead of standing in a reception.

Go with your gut and see if you can find out about staff turn over.

And finally don't forget that baby will likely pick up bugs and colds at the beginning so decide with your partner who will be using their leave to mind baby on sick days as they cannot attend for a few days after vomiting etc. It would be great if you had parents nearby who collect your child if sick and mind them until parent can come as it can be a long way from work. The quickest I could do the drive was 30-40 minutes which isnt fair on baby or staff if they are vomiting etc.

Anyway thats my essay done, and all just my opinion!

cornflake1

When we priced creches you decided on a fixed number of days per week and then paid monthly. It worked out as 45 euro per day for 5 days, 50 per day for 4, and 60 per day for 3 or 2. I understand prices have increased since. They required a 12 month contract. I started looking last April for September 2017. The nearest creche didn't have availability until June 2018 and wouldn't even put us on a waiting list. The next nearest had a waiting list but there were no guarantees. We went with a childminder. 40 euro per day for 2 or 3 days. We provide the food. We always pay for 2 days and the 3rd only if we send her. She will take her if she has a cold but will contact us if it is anything more serious.

JimmyMcGill

OSI wrote: »

Most crèches in Dublin will charge a full week regardless.

Is that the way? Harsh for the wannabe part time parent but so it goes unfortunately.
Our own creche were flexible to a point with us with our 2. They more or less wanted a guaranteed number of hours for care a week and were very accommodating with extra childcare as we wanted,depending on work schedules.
We commited to 3 full days and i looked after them the other two while my wife worked. Have often on short notice used them for 5 days with my work being unpredictable.
Guess we were really lucky.
No advice Op just giving another perspective.

jlm29

Are you set on a crèche? A child miner might be another option, depending on where you are based. I pay my minder when my kids are there. I’m in mat leave at the moment, so paying one day per week. I work five days, but when I used work weekends they would only be there 3 days during the week, and I only paid for those days.
There are pros and cons for both services, but worth considering all the options!

shane b

Our creche was either 3 or 5 days care and open 7 am till 6 pm. It was located close enough to home not to worry about the child falling asleep on the way home. Also be aware you will have to provide the baby formula, nappies, creams etc as well. Well we had anyway. Mentioned in another post to think about who will collect the child if sick. If child is on antibiotics creche wont take them the first day.

chocfan

OSI wrote: »

Most crèches in Dublin will charge a full week regardless.

I didn't find that at all. We're in Dublin and any creche that we visited were flexible with part-time fees. Our little girl (2yo) is in creche since 6 months for 3 days a week and with MIL the other 2 days and that works well for us

The only issue we had were some creches who do facilitate part time would only take her if there was another child who wanted to do the 2 days that she wouldn't be there so they'd be almost sharing a full time space and some couldn't find a match. The creche we went with didn't look for that arrangement and we're actually really happy with them.

Fees wise it works out slightly more than 3/5 of a normal week so it's not exactly pro rata but we're still happy with it

mloc123

Some creches will allow you to pay 4/5 3/5 of the standard monthly fee if you are only using it for 3-4 days (ours does this)

But not all, which is understandable too... they have unused capacity in these cases where they are 'fully booked' with the number of children they can take but are missing out on 1/5 of fees.

As for working at home with a young child... it is not possible

You need to look at creches now... 4-5 months is not much notice to get a spot reserved.

Dadzilla

Dublin based and we have a crèche booked for March, Giraffe. They had a full time or part time option. Full time you’re free to drop off your child at any time. Part time requires you to pick and stick to the days you plan to use the crèche.

There wasn’t a massive difference in price between the 2 options.

John Mason

we are in Dublin and only pay 4 days.

mickoneill31

We're with a Giraffe creche and they have rates for 3, 4 and 5 days.
Most crèches I rang at the time did this. We're in North Dublin. Some crèches don't take kids at 6 months. That gave me a fright when the first creche I rang said they didn't.
Once your in the creche you pay the same amount per month even if junior is away for a few days.
We're going on holidays soon and I'm wondering if we can get a discount that month. Haven't asked yet but I'm not optimistic.

You can't work at home with a kid
I've tried it a couple of times. You get about an hour done. If you had a grandparent that could come over to provide the attention, that'd work.

Moonbeam

normally you can not change the amount of days per week on a weekly basis but in the beginning you decide whether you want a 3,4 or 5 day week and you pay the same then every month ,no matter how many days you do not send them so if you decide 5 and send them 4 you still pay 5.

lazygal

Anyone looking into a Giraffe creche should have a read of the Prime Time expose into the chain. Also PM me for more information.
I cannot believe people still use them after everything.

mickoneill31

lazygal wrote: »

Anyone looking into a Giraffe creche should have a read of the Prime Time expose into the chain. Also PM me for more information.
I cannot believe people still use them after everything.

Is that the one from 2013? In three crèches? Or is there something current?
Have they not been inspected since then?

lazygal

Yeah, the 2013 expose didn't change much if anything in the Giraffe chain. Wouldn't leave my children with them regardless of what the managers tell you.

Dadzilla

lazygal wrote: »

Yeah, the 2013 expose didn't change much if anything in the Giraffe chain. Wouldn't leave my children with them regardless of what the managers tell you.

That’s not true. Giraffe won the Best Crèche award from “Mums & Tots” in 2016 and 2017.

lazygal

Dadzilla wrote: »

That’s not true. Giraffe won the Best Crèche award from “Mums & Tots” in 2016 and 2017.

LOL. What was the criteria for judging it?
One of the ones in the Prime Time programme won a similar 'award' just before everything came out. A creche can pass all the tick box inspections and still not be somewhere you want your child cared for.
If you want to take your chances on Giraffe, nothing stopping you.

The 'Mums and Tots awards' seems to be a Facebook competition which encourages voting based on the chance of winning a voucher. That's really not something to base your choice of creche on.

mickoneill31

I can't speak for all giraffes but the one my daughter is in seems great. They are very process driven for any incident and I've seen a great development in her since she's been there. An important criteria for me is that she enjoys her time there and all indications so far are that she is.

Ginny

I've found most creches are willing to do part time, I know mine and other local ones do 2,3,4 or 5 day options.
I also work from home 1 day a week and I can promise you it's impossible to do it with the kids here, especially if they're 5 and under.

iamwhoiam

OSI wrote: »

Most crèches in Dublin will charge a full week regardless.

My grandchild is in a creche 1 day a week and they were very happy to accommodate that . Its in Dublin

Dadzilla

lazygal wrote: »

LOL. What was the criteria for judging it?
One of the ones in the Prime Time programme won a similar 'award' just before everything came out. A creche can pass all the tick box inspections and still not be somewhere you want your child cared for.
If you want to take your chances on Giraffe, nothing stopping you.

The 'Mums and Tots awards' seems to be a Facebook competition which encourages voting based on the chance of winning a voucher. That's really not something to base your choice of creche on.

So where’s your evidence that “not much has changed” since the expose?

lazygal

Dadzilla wrote: »

So where’s your evidence that “not much has changed” since the expose?

You can PM me if you like.

annoyedgal

My nieces are in an excellent giraffe creche. I don't think they can all be judged by the Prime Time expose. Definitely check out any potential creches Tulsa inspection reports before making a decision.

appledrop

It depends on the creche. Some will take part time others will want full days pay. Please don't expect that you will be able to keep the baby at home on the day your working from home it will be impossible. If you go on hols or baby not in creche you will still have to pay. I have no problem with this as staff still have to be paid. I actually see it as a good sign that staff are getting looked after all through the year.

John Mason

Dadzilla wrote: »

That’s not true. Giraffe won the Best Crèche award from “Mums & Tots” in 2016 and 2017.

OMG that is so funny.

i wouldnt leave a dog in their care. :D:D:D:D

Lets just say i would have a bit more knowledge on them than the average person.

it is very easy to pass inspections when they "hold" inspectors in areas locked away from the children when they run around to make up staff numbers, alter attendance books etc.

it is very difficult to prove

helimachoptor

About 3 months after the Giraffe expose, a guy i worked with was working from home (directly across the road from one of the ones in the programme) he was making a cup of tea and looked out the kitchen window to see a 2 (estimate) year old wander out onto the road.

He ran out, but called the gardai, they called social services i think and then all the parents were called, but i dont think anything ever happened

Dadzilla

John Mason wrote: »

OMG that is so funny.

i wouldnt leave a dog in their care. :D:D:D:D

Lets just say i would have a bit more knowledge on them than the average person.

it is very easy to pass inspections when they "hold" inspectors in areas locked away from the children when they run around to make up staff numbers, alter attendance books etc.

it is very difficult to prove

Please do share the knowledge. It’s the safety of welfare of children we’re talking about here so if there is serious issues to be ousted it should be public.

iamwhoiam

Cocoon creches have CCTV cameras in the rooms . Parents are givin a password and can log in online to see the kids .
A member of my family could see what her baby was up to , she would ask later how he was and it tallied exactly with what she had seen on screen

iamwhoiam

John Mason wrote: »

OMG that is so funny.

i wouldnt leave a dog in their care. :D:D:D:D

Lets just say i would have a bit more knowledge on them than the average person.

it is very easy to pass inspections when they "hold" inspectors in areas locked away from the children when they run around to make up staff numbers, alter attendance books etc.

it is very difficult to prove

Its also very easy to write something online with no back up or proof . If it is as you say I personally would be doing something about it

John Mason

iamwhoiam wrote: »

Its also very easy to write something online with no back up or proof . If it is as you say I personally would be doing something about it

it has been reported many, many times by different people but as i said it cant be proven due to inspectors not getting in, in time.