Childcare:
What Are Your Childcare Options?
 Few
parents are lucky enough to get through their child's early years without paying
for childcare at some point.
If returning to work is a financial necessity,
if you don't have very accommodating grandparents living nearby, or if
you're just desperate to get back into your career - here are some of
the choices open to you.
Registered
childminders
Professional childminders are inspected and registered by the local social
services department of their local authority. Flexible and convenient,
they look after 3 (or fewer) preschoolers at once and may even continue
to care for your child after he starts school.
Workplace
creche
Many parents are keen on this option but it's less popular among employers.
Only 1 in 10 provides help such as childcare allowances, vouchers or subsidised
childcare services.
Day
nurseries and playgroups
Great fun for toddlers, not only allowing them more resources and activities
than thay get at home, but an enviable social life too. Some parents prefer
to trust their toddler to a number of adult carers than leave them in
the sole charge of an unsupervised nanny or au pair. However, state nurseries
can be scarce and a private day nursery costs between £80 and £200
a week. In Central London it can be as much as £400 a week!*
Au
pairs
The ideal au pair is energetic, enthusiastic and surprisingly mature,
with a flair for childcare and fluent English. The au pair from hell is
a sulky teenager who feeds your toddler bubble gum, borrows your makeup
and goes home pregnant. Can you guarantee a good au pair? And is an au
pair the right choice for your family?
Nannies
Usually the most expensive option. Can you afford a
nanny? Is nanny-sharing a possibility? Are you looking for formal qualifications?
Live-in or live-out? What are your expectations? What will a nanny expect
of you? Recent figures show that live out nannies in London can earn as much as £33,179 a year – dropping to £17,797 for live-in nannies in the countryside [Nannytax survey January 2008].
* Figures Daycare Trust survey February 2008
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