Any Family Day Care users out there?

[PinkPalace]

Well since my last post.... i have been contacted via family day care in my suburb.
And it sounds really nice and thnking to not commence DD at the child care centre...

Wondering (i know they are all individual people) but what peoples experiences are with Family day care?

[visitor1]

Both my girls go to FDC and looove love love it!

Chelsea has been going since she was 5 months old (now 20 months) and Jasmine since 8 months (now over 9 months). Chelsea enjoys it alot. She seems to have grown a great personality and very sociable.

There carer is Sri Lankan and takes great care with them,her kids are lovely too...

Id reccomend FDC over a child care centre any day!

[Kazmar]

I used to work with a lady and her daughter who is the same age as Annabelle went to FDC.
She loved it! If I needed to get Annabelle looked after if I was heading back to work etc I would choose FDC. Just really good with the one on one time and there isn't 15 other children in the room.
Find one where your happy, comfy and can trust the carer. The lady I worked with swore by it and could realax at work instead of worring whats happening to her child.
Ayla, the little girl, would always be happy and clean when she was picked up

[Lea79]

Well I haven't yet had personal experience yet but I will say that I grew up in a house where my mum did FDC for 20 yrs and is still going strong. Growing up in that environment is wonderful and the kids are treated more like family when you get a really good carer with a great setup. This will be our first choice when considering care for our future bub for sure! Good luck!

[PinkPalace]

Is anyone else worried that if you are sick, go on holidays or public holiday you still have to pay them and cant swap for another day?

[Snoopea]

Hey Pinkpalce,
I would recommend it but then I'm an family day care provider!
My mum got me into it 6 years ago and she's been in the business for over 20 years now.
The main thing is to make sure your happy with the provider and the premises, then leave your daughter for a few hours to start with to make sure she's happy.
I always have a 2 week trial period with all my new families just to make sure that they're happy with the care and that the child is fitting in.
It's amazing how attached you come to the kiddies they become an extension of your family and when they leave for school or due to moving, it's a real heartbreaker.

But if your looking for a home environment were DD will be a person and not a number then go for it.

Ohh by the way I put my son in Family day care on a tuesday while britneys at school, so i can go shopping or fill in appointments e.g dentist ect!

Best of luck with it!

Snoopea

[Snoopea]

Is anyone else worried that if you are sick, go on holidays or public holiday you still have to pay them and cant swap for another day?

Yes it happens but rarely, depends on how much care you plan to use to how affected you'll be. You also qualify for CBC and are allowed 42 days for absence or sickness where the government will still pay CBC. Unfortunetly your paying for a service, but if the careprovider is sick or away then no fee is payable!
Hope this helps, if you want to know more you can contact me by PM and I'll give you my e-mail.
Snoopea

[visitor1]

Ive often not sent the girls due to sickness or we have been away....while it sucks you still have to pay....thats their job and they should be paid.

They provide a great service to a fee being paid regardless doesnt bother me

[PinkPalace]

Thanks girls for your comments.

It is a hard decision and i guess i need to make it by tomorrow b4 dd starts at child care! as it s easier to do that then have to apply to have her out of child care and wait weeks cause of fees paid up etc etc.


i do like the idea of family day care though as my biggests issues are routine (and then not sticking to it at CC dues to their routines being different.)

Oh thats a qn... anyone's FDC happy with cloth nappies and what happens with food...

[Snoopea]

Cloth nappies have never been an issue with me, although I don't wash them.
Food is normally sent by the parent but some carers provide for a set fee!
Fee's will also vary, I charge $4.10 per hour + a .10c admin fee which gets paid to dete, meals are normally $2 snack and $3 main meal.

Snack= Bannana & Yoghurt & Milk or Juice or Dried fruit and tiny teddies ect

Main meal= Spagetti, chicken schnitz and roast veg ect mainly whatever were having i just cook extra.

I don't charge for heating, bedding or milk but I've heard some c/p do, Ask for the fee's up front so you know what your up for!

Snoopea

[mollycat]

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.

[mollycat]

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.

[PinkPalace]

thanks molly - it is just hard that i cant talk to the carer without paying the joining fee. TO decide whether i like her and her routines! ;(

[mollycat]

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.

[AnyDream]

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.

[Karina]

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.

[~Saram~]

Well I thought I would throw my 2c worth in

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

All the best with your decision

[visitor1]

Our carer was a bit off withthe routine...but then i wrote it out and asked for it to be followed...and now its goign great. She is understanding of how i want thing down and does as i ask.

One down side i dont like is, school runs....and it clashing with nap times...but thats part of the job!

We use sposies at care....ive mentioned cloth before and she has looked at me weirdly...LOL