Excuse my ignorance...

[CoNNiE_Melb]

But is it really hard to find occasional childcare?

I've just been offered a casual job, and I have looked online and there are not many places in inner melbourne, and most of them say they have no vacancies.

Am I crazy in thinking that 1 months notice is enough? I have never really looked into this.

Any advice would be great!

[feeb]

Both my boys go to OCC 1 day a week well 5 hrs and each 1 day CC a week.

OCC I put DS1 name down in the Aug and got a place a month later, DS2 I was luck as went to put name on waiting list for next term and was offered a place for week after!

CC I put there names down in Late sept and was offered a place in Jan.

Good luck its HARD to get CC in Melb xoxo

[Astrid]

You could try family day care. There may be a carer who has some flexibility, half days here and there that they can take an extra child.

Just get your name down where you can and find out what their policy is about hassling them. Some have a policy of not connecting them to see how your place is going and others seem to operate on those who hassle the most get the spot.

Best of luck!

[Nai]

It depends on the hours and what care you need - most places don't do occasional care and you need to be on the waiting list for a long time.

[CoNNiE_Melb]

I will need approximately 1 day a week, but the day will change all the time... either a Wed, Thurs or Friday.

[feeb]

I don't know anywhere that will change days on a regular basis.

Everywhere I know its set day, some places you can try and book in for OCC a week in advance but not gurantees of a place.

[Erin_25]

I rang a place I want to get DS2 in next year as the only take them from 2 and before she knew I wanted his name on the list for next year she kindly let me know there are no room at all for any more kids this year.....so yeah depending where you want & what you want you need to put names on lists.

[luna moth]

I don't know anywhere that will change days on a regular basis.

Some of the lower quality places that can't stay full will do this. But even then, for a baby you're pushing your luck, especially if you're not already on a waiting list. Even most FDCs in inner Melbs are full, especially for under 2s.

There's a few occasional care facilities in Melbourne - Darebin has one service, and there's Winter St at Malvern that spring to mind. But they have rules about who can use them based on wher you live/work etc.

[CoNNiE_Melb]

Wow... this is insane. So what are we meant to do? Not work?? How are people expected to pay off mortgages?

I would know the days at the start of each month, but it sounds like even that may not be enough...

How does OCC actually work then?

[feeb]

OCC where my kids go has some places that are set for fixed bookings plus they have casual spots for short notice eg a weeks notice, They only offer max of 5 hrs (0915 till 1415) and charged in blocks of time if late to pick child up.

Many OCC may not be able to operate next year as they are now as the fed govt stopped funding a year ago and state took over and they have decided to cut funding so centres are going to have to A put prices up, B cap numbers and loose staff or C find other alterantive to cover funding!!

Not sure of how other places work I know a friend used 1 in point cook and could book in some times a day or so before she needed it.

[CoNNiE_Melb]

Well we are moving to Werribee next month, so Point Cook would actually be perfect! Any chance you remember the name?

[feeb]

Kids digz and I think other she uses was Future kids or something like that.

Good luck its so stressful.