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term teething problems What to do when childcare isn’t working?

No matter how much research goes into our choices, sometimes our childcare arrangements don’t work out as we hoped. For a variety of reasons, the nursery that your best friend raves about can turn out not to suit your child’s needs.

Sharon Betts offers great advice on what to do when childcare isn’t working as well as it should and how to find the right nursery for your child.

My daughter attended a nursery that many other families told me was great, mainly due to its close proximity to the station. This meant it was possible to get into the City by 9am (if you handed over your child at 8am on the dot!). But when our child was handed back to us at the end of the day, she was often covered in grime, had soiled clothing and was hurriedly given to us amongst an avalanche of other parents all arriving on the same train. This simply didn’t work for us.

Thankfully, there was available space at an alternative pre-school, with a slower, more gentle approach and, due to its location, there was less of a bun fight at drop off and pick up. Thankfully I was in a position to adapt my needs to what was available where others were more beholden to office hours and strict routine. I was also fortunate that my daughter was my second child. I already knew of most of the childcare options in my area and had the confidence as a parent to understand that change was required.

For first time parents, it may be challenging to get to the heart of what good quality care looks like for you. But, if the arrangement you have doesn’t feel right, you can rearrange your choices.

Choosing a new provider doesn’t necessarily mean starting from scratch, because having experienced care that you believe doesn’t suit your needs, you will be more aware of what is important to you and your family. By eliminating what you don’t want, you get closer to what will work.

Remember that young children are adaptable. Every day is a new learning experience for them, and change, when approached appropriately, can be an adventure and not a disruption.

Ultimately, childcare should deliver peace of mind and that is certainly achievable when you have an arrangement that’s right for you.

Nursery Checklist:

Know what you want. Make a list of what is important to you and what areas you are flexible about. Do you have strict hours to stick to? Does childcare need to be close to your home or place of work? How far away from home are you willing to travel? Does the location need to fit around your other commitments?

Check the Ofsted rating of providers by visiting their Ofsted page and reading all reports and letters past and present.

Do ask other parents about their experiences but know that their opinion is subjective to their own list of needs which may well be different to yours.

When you visit, make sure you see how the children interact with the staff and each other. A good provider will offer a calm environment where children feel free to be themselves, whether that is noisy or calm, inquisitive or introspective.

Go with your gut – sometimes a setting just feels right. If it fulfils your logistical criteria and you get a good feeling about it, trust your instincts!

News on Tax-Free Childcare

The Government has published its latest statistics for Tax-Free Childcare showing that half of all open accounts are not even used.

Whilst the new HMRC figures show more families opening accounts than previously, only fifty percent of open accounts are being used which means that thousands of families and children are missing out on money earmarked for childcare support. In addition, recent HMRC research estimates that less than half of eligible families are opening an account to claim the support. Tax credits and the Tax-Free Childcare Scheme can create savings of up to £2,000 per child for parents meeting the eligibility criteria. To register, search Tax-Free Childcare on: gov.uk.

In addition, children ages 3 and 4 in England are entitled to 30 hours of FREE childcare per week with an approved childcare provider for 38 weeks of the year (term-time). You may be able to get free childcare for 52 weeks if you use fewer than 30 hours per week. Whilst most nurseries offer these free hours, you do need to check and calculate if any additional costs like meals, nappies must be factored in. Find more info at: childcarechoices.gov.uk or gov.uk