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We are meeting a potential FDC provider on Wednesday and I would really appreciate some advice on the kind of things I should ask her about/ look for.
There was an awesome post on this not long back, but my brain cannot seem to tell me where it was- grrrrrrrr!
Also, any advice on how to settle your child into FDC would be great. He will only be there 1 day a week, so it might take a while. (never mind the fretting mother!!!)
My mum is a FDC and she gave me this long list of things I should check when looking into FDC for DD (7months old now...has been in since 5 months)...(mum lives 5 hours away otherwise shes go there )
1. Area that they use - is it safe eg, safety gates where needed etc, cords etc...all the things you'd expect
2. Discipline - you want someone who is going to use appropriate discipline.
3. Routines - is the carer going to try and follow some of your routines or put DS/DD into a new routine so that it suits them??
4. Outings - does the carer have approved car seats etc. This is a requirement that car seats meet Aus safety standards but you'd be surprised. Also, you may not want a carer who is going to be out everyday with your baby - some carers are known for just going out and meeting for coffee everyday...
5. Check bottle prep and nappy change area - is it clean, do they prepare bottles properly et
6. Toys and activites - does she do things that are stimulating to the child and age appropriate. You are well within your rights to insepct what she does have for the kids in care.
7. Sleep area - does each child have thier own beds, do you have to supply bedding etc. if not are they washed regularly?
8. Check fee schedules and make sure you read your contract!!! Some carers will charge you astronomically amounts if you pick kids up late or reverse, charge you for dropping them early.
9. Nappy levies - this is usually charged as a once a day fee (eg. I pay an extra $2 a day as a nappy levi).
10. You are within your rights to go and watch and interact with the kids at anytime to make sure you are comfortable with the carer - if they say no then i'd be wary!
11. What do you have to supply and what do they provide???
12. Pets- do they have them, do they have access to play/sleep areas, are you comfortable with them??
13. Carers should have an open door policy meaning you can go whenever you like during the day to watch what your child is doing. You should also be able to ask any questions you like.
hmmm..... I can't think of anything else at the moment but if I do I will post it for you.
I know it seems like allot of things, but leaving your kids with someone other than family is a big step so you want to check everything and not get caught out anywhere.
Hi Amber, we use FDC and I reckon it is awesome!
We approached a FDC scheme in our area. Its run by a Christian community organisation thing, but you dont have to be Christian to use it. Some councils have a scheme but ours does not.
We basically went out to the FDC , talked to them about what we wanted and they gave us the phone number of a lady who lives about 5 minutes from us. We went to meet her and she was absolutely lovely and Claire adores her. On weekends, she gets her shoes and hat on and then stands at the door repeating the carers name over and over...
Anyway, when we went to meet her, we asked stuff like:
- fees
- does she provide nappies and food or do we provide it
- how long has she been doing FDC
- how many children does she have on the days we want
- is it the same kids all the time or are there mainly casual kids that come and go
- check they are quialified in first aid,particularly for children
- her policy on kids that bite/hit etc
ummmm I cant remember the other stuff I asked!
When we were meeting her, we also obviously had a look around at :
- how much space
- was the space safe
- First aid kit?
- space for playing outside
- indoor play space
- age appropriate toys
- clean space for the children to eat
- also just the general feel of the place and how welcome the carer makes you feel
- how the carer interacts with your child and the other children
Claire started off going 3 days a week when she was 1. She was upset the first few times. I did start with just half days though. Unofrtunately it took such a long time from when we chose her to when she started FDC because the carer got put on Jury Duty and they wouldnt excuse her from it and it ended up being like 4 - 5 weeks long before she was available to have Claire.. so there was a few weeks at the very start that she didnt go. Anyway, she started off staying for 2 hours while I stayed as well, just so she could get familiar with the place and the people. Then the next week, she stayed for a half day on her own, then she started going for a full day on her own.
sorry I waffled on so much... hope this helps!
My mum is a FDC and she gave me this long list of things I should check when looking into FDC for DD (7months old now...has been in since 5 months)...(mum lives 5 hours away otherwise shes go there )
1. Area that they use - is it safe eg, safety gates where needed etc, cords etc...all the things you'd expect
2. Discipline - you want someone who is going to use appropriate discipline.
3. Routines - is the carer going to try and follow some of your routines or put DS/DD into a new routine so that it suits them??
4. Outings - does the carer have approved car seats etc. This is a requirement that car seats meet Aus safety standards but you'd be surprised. Also, you may not want a carer who is going to be out everyday with your baby - some carers are known for just going out and meeting for coffee everyday...
5. Check bottle prep and nappy change area - is it clean, do they prepare bottles properly et
6. Toys and activites - does she do things that are stimulating to the child and age appropriate. You are well within your rights to insepct what she does have for the kids in care.
7. Sleep area - does each child have thier own beds, do you have to supply bedding etc. if not are they washed regularly?
8. Check fee schedules and make sure you read your contract!!! Some carers will charge you astronomically amounts if you pick kids up late or reverse, charge you for dropping them early.
9. Nappy levies - this is usually charged as a once a day fee (eg. I pay an extra $2 a day as a nappy levi).
10. You are within your rights to go and watch and interact with the kids at anytime to make sure you are comfortable with the carer - if they say no then i'd be wary!
11. What do you have to supply and what do they provide???
12. Pets- do they have them, do they have access to play/sleep areas, are you comfortable with them??
13. Carers should have an open door policy meaning you can go whenever you like during the day to watch what your child is doing. You should also be able to ask any questions you like.
hmmm..... I can't think of anything else at the moment but if I do I will post it for you.
I know it seems like allot of things, but leaving your kids with someone other than family is a big step so you want to check everything and not get caught out anywhere.
Mods - not sure if this came up the first time as it isn't/wasn't showing on my screen or subscription list... sorry if it posts twice...
Thank you both!
Jennjorja- that was exactly the post I was looking for!
awesome :)
Hope it goes well.
Hugs
xx