Not only are you thinking about nappies, feeding, and what products to purchase, but childcare is also top of your mind…

Many families start thinking about childcare almost as soon as they have found out they are expecting. In today’s society it is so hard for parents to not think about going back to work, shifting their hours or how it is going to work with their current state of employment, all whilst trying to navigate what is best for their children and them as a family.

There are  various combinations of child carers to make it work for you & your lifestyle. Each one will offer something totally different but find the one that works for you. Ensure anyone looking after your child(ren) has their DBS and Paediatric First Aid Certificate. If you’re employing a nanny, make sure to verify any additional qualifications on their CV.

Here are a few options that you can consider:

• A Nanny will look after your child or children in your home, giving them 1-1 care. They can fit in with the hours and days that you choose and can offer support 24 hours a day if needed. A Nanny could be full time or part time, sole charge or shared care, live in or daily, temporary or permanent. These are all personal preference and will depend on your circumstances. Some nannies may travel with you, some are happy to help with general household errands, this will depend on the nanny you choose but ensure you are transparent with your expectations from the offset. 

• A nanny share is when you and another family share a Nanny between you. The Nanny may swap between houses during the week but there is flexibility for both families with hours and days needed. Finding the right nanny to suit both families is important, make sure to write down interview questions together and be aligned with what you are looking for, keeping communication open at all times.

• Child-minders are Ofsted registered professional child carers who look after children in their own home. They look after children from birth up until the age of 8. They are only allowed to look after up to 6 children at one time, and each Childminder offers a different service to each family, meaning there is flexibility to suit you.
  
• Nurseries can care for many children from birth to five years and the hours are normally between 8am-6pm. Most nurseries offer different sessions – for example a morning session of 4 hours, or a full day. Some nurseries are term time only while others run 52 weeks of the year. Different nurseries will offer different teaching methods such as free flow or Montessori so it is important to visit and decide which works best for your child. When visiting, don’t just look at the rooms, also speak to the staff to get a feel for who they are.

With whatever childcare option or options you go for it is so important to always be In communication with them, if it is Nursery speak to their key worker to find out how their day went, or if it is a Nanny – set up a whatsapp group. This means that you can all do the best for the child or children involved. We want all children to feel happy, secure and safe with whoever is looking after them so they can flourish.

For more tips and advice visit https://prudencebeeby.co.uk/

Written by Prudence Beeby from A Mothers Touch

Prudence Beeby is a Norland Nanny of 13 years. She is now helping
families on a wider scale, preparing for the most important time of their life.