Pink Palace - I would recommend Family Day Care. Not saying that centres don't have there place - ideal for the pre-schooler when a large group environment is needed (although it's not always needed). Smaller groups, more one on one. Today I have 5 children aged 11m to 4y booked in - the 11mo is off sick - had a 2yo booked in, in his place - she's off sick too, so I've ended up with 4 - 3x 2yo and 1 x 4yo. so todays ratio is 1 adult - 4 kids. I've had days when it's been 1 adult - 1 or 2 kids.
Yes, if you're away you may have to pay to hold your placement. But, in a centre you may have to do the same thing, especially for sick days or holidays. CCB (child care benefit or subsidy - where the government pays a % of your fees - depending on your income) is available for family day care as well as centres, and they will pay on your absences up to 42 days. If your carer is off sick or on holidays you won't have to pay at those times, some schemes offer relief carers - depending on their availability.
If you want more information pm me and i'll give you more information.
I'll take babies in cloth or disposable - i don't wash the cloth but will rinse and spin to make it easier for mum/dad to take home.
Food is provided by the parent - we have to do a special course to be able to provide food and I feel that my time is better spent looking after the children then preparing and cooking meals.
You might find the routine at family day care more flexible - although often the kids just follow the same routine after a while anyway.
Ask the carer up front what she/he provides and what you will need to provide. Go armed with a list if necessary. I hand out a list of frequently asked questions to the parents at interviews.
Do you have any friends that use fdc. maybe you could talk to some of them. In our scheme, new parents don't have to enrol (or pay enrolment fees) until they are ready to start with a carer - our scheme will give out three or four (if possible) different carers names and numbers for prospective parents to talk to. Maybe a mothers group (or playgroup) can give you some others to talk to.
I have been a devoted FDC user for nearly 10 years and have had several carers during that time, all (bar one who I took out of desperation after we moved) have been fantastic.
Best to discuss things like nappies and meals with the particular carers you are interviewing as they all do things differently. eg some carers provide all meals (for a fee) but many carers are happy for you to pack your child's lunchbox as well.
I've never found that paying for pub hols etc a problem, I figure if I was working I'd probably get paid so that's fair to me. If you're only using care 1 or 2 days a week then don't put your child in on a Mon or Fri and you won't be paying for many pub hols that way.
Claire goes to Family Day Care and she seems to really like it. She's been going since her 1st birthday, for 3 days a week. She likes being in a small group and is not too keen on big groups of little kids, so I felt a cente would not be the right place for her at the moment. She is the youngest there, although occasionally there is another little girl the same age who Claire "knows" from mothers group.
The lady that looks after Claire is really lovely. I did visit a few centres but they just didnt seem like the right place for Claire. Our FDC scheme has a few FDC's in our area and if I ever need an extra day for a uni exam, that our regular carer cant take Claire for, I have always found it easy to organise the extra day through another FDC in the same scheme. Our FDC also have playsessions with the other FDC's in the area. The FDC bus comes and picks everyone up and takes them to the park, the FDC centre, community centre etc.
At our FDC , they prefer disposable nappies. I wish they were more fine with cloth. I might ask again some time. I pack a lunchbox for Claire each day, with lunch, morning & afternoon tea and another little snacky thing like sultanas or something. Our carer gives the children toast in the morning, around 8:30am-ish and Claire loves eating at the table with the bigger children. She doesnt use a high chair (at home or at FDC), she just sits at the table on a normal chair and thinks its great - she thinks she is a big girl. lol. I also provide a cot sheet and a blanket. I leave it there on her first day of the week and take it home on her last day of the week.
We found FDC lovely and DS attended there 2 days a week from 6mths-9mths and then full time for a month then he got expelled "-) Yes my DS got rejected from FDC for being too demanding. Mind you, the lady was new to FDC and was lovely about it but just couldn't cope so we have stuck with centres from then on as I figure at least that way if they need a break there is someone there to relieve them
BTW our centre ABC loves our cloth although the baby room were a lot better with them then the new room as far as changing reg and storing dirty ones
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