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New Help For Parents Seeking Childcare Solutions

4th March 2010

Nearly four in five (79%) parents say it would be useful to have more tips on finding the right childcare for their children, according to a new poll.

Figures show that parents currently consult a range of different sources for information on finding childcare. Over three quarters (76%) turn to friends, family or neighbours for information first, ahead of online media such as Netmums (60%) and official sources such as local authority websites (58%) and Ofsted (46%).

The good news is that clear and concise help is at hand. Choosing the right kind of childcare is an important decision and this is why the Government has produced a handy, downloadable, Childcare Checklist that parents can refer to when looking into the different childcare options for their children, such as nurseries, children’s centres and childminders.

The poll of 1,700 parents, conducted by online forum Netmums, on behalf of the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), found that parents considered the ‘quality’ and services of childcare available the most when making a decision, with more than four fifths (82%) choosing this option. This is especially important given that evidence shows high quality childcare benefits children long after their earliest years, and can help them to do better at school until at least the age of 11.

The second most commonly selected consideration was staffing levels (80%), followed by the healthiness of the food provided by the childcarer to children under their supervision (68%) and the location of the nursery or childminder (67%).

With the help of the checklist, parents can also find out about the type of financial support available to them in the form of Working Tax Credits and free childcare hours, as well as where to go to seek information on the quality and standards of their local childcare provider. There is also a range of advice around safety, staffing levels and locality of childcare that parents should think about before making their decision.

To download the Childcare Checklist, visit www.direct.gov.uk/childcarechecklist

For more information visit your local Family Information Service or to find your local childcare provider phone 0800 2 346 346 or visit www.direct.gov.uk/childcare

Ten tips for choosing the right childcare for you and your children

  1. What type of care is best for your child? For example, group care is normally with a team of staff working with a number of children. Childminders work at home and care for a smaller number of children.
  2. Are the staff and children talking and playing together and are the children inspired and encouraged to ask questions?
  3. Do the children have the chance to take part in a range of different activities? Does the location have plenty of space inside and outside – how easy is it for children to move freely between the two?
  4. Will you see your child’s paintings and other work – how will the staff talk to you about what and how your child is learning?5
  5. Think about safety - do they have finger guards on doors? Do they have visitor control systems in use? How do they report incidents to parents? Ask to see the written safeguarding policy – every group childcare provider should have one.
  6. Look at the staffing levels. A nursery or children’s centre should have at least one member of staff for every eight children aged between three and five-years-old, and there should be a key person with special responsibility for your child. A childminder could be caring for up to six children under eight.
  7. Do staff have relevant qualifications? Did you know that quality is generally better in childcare settings where the staff have qualifications, particularly if at least one member of staff involved with the children is an early years graduate?
  8. How does the nursery, children’s centre or childminder deal with misbehaviour, or homesickness? Again, ask to see the written policy.
  9. Is there a healthy, balanced diet on offer? Ask about how they manage children’s dietary requirements.
  10. You should always visit the nursery, childminder or children’s centre when it is in full flow, and take your child with you to see what they think.

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