The Parent's Guide to Childcare : How to Choose and Manage the Right Childcare for You and Your Child --

Finding the right person to care for your child is probably one of the most difficult decisions you will ever have to make. Choosing a nursery, nanny or childminder needs to be well researched in order to select the right type of childcare to meet your own individual needs. Good childcare places are often booked months in advance, so you'll need to prepare well ahead to ensure you won't want to have to settle for second best when making this important decision.This book looks at the most popular types of childcare available and weighs up the advantages and disadvantages of each to help you to decide which service suits you best. It will help you to: decide what kind of childcare you require; ensure that the relationship between the child and the carer and you and the carer work well; know what to expect from your childminder in terms of play and educational activities; know what to do when either your child or the carer is ill; understand the childcare contract; and know what to do when things go wrong. Plus there are important questions to ask to help you to choose the right childcare for you and your child. AUTHOR BIOG: Allison Lee has worked as childminder herself for over 12 years and is now employed by her local authority as a support childminder giving help and advice to other practitioners. Allison has also written several childcare courses, all of which she tutors. She is the author of Starting Your Own Childminding Business and The Childminder's Companion. Contents......Page 6 Preface......Page 8 Acknowledgements......Page 10 Which type of childcare is best?......Page 12 Registration of childcare providers......Page 13 The child’s age......Page 15 The childminder......Page 18 The nanny......Page 23 The nursery......Page 28 The extended school......Page 31 The pros and cons of the different types of childcare......Page 33 Know your rights......Page 38 Returning to work or study......Page 39 Balancing work and family life......Page 42 Flexible working hours......Page 43 Where do I start looking for childcare?......Page 46 When should I start looking for childcare?......Page 51 Factors influencing parents’ decisions......Page 53 Visiting settings......Page 54 Checking facilities......Page 55 Interviewing carers......Page 60 How do I know if I have found the right childcare?......Page 61 The relationship between the parent and the carer......Page 67 The relationship between the child and the carer......Page 72 Parents and carers – working in partnership......Page 75 Developing relationships......Page 77 Feelings of guilt......Page 83 What do you want for your child?......Page 85 Education, education, education......Page 86 The learning process......Page 91 Playing or learning......Page 93 Real-life experiences......Page 98 Understanding routines......Page 99 Parental preferences......Page 100 Child preferences......Page 102 Food and drink......Page 104 Sleep and rest......Page 107 Settling your child into the setting......Page 109 Safety issues......Page 112 Special educational needs and disability......Page 113 Holidays......Page 115 Potty training......Page 118 Whose setting is it?......Page 122 When the child is ill......Page 123 What kind of parent are you?......Page 128 When the carer is ill......Page 130 Back up plans......Page 132 The importance of a united front......Page 136 Behaviour policies......Page 137 Punishments......Page 138 Sanctions for dealing with inappropriate behaviour......Page 139 What are you expected to provide?......Page 143 Why is it necessary to have a contract?......Page 144 How are you expected to behave?......Page 145 Contracts and what they mean......Page 146 Childcare fees......Page 149 How much should I be paying?......Page 150 How do I know if I am paying too much?......Page 152 Is there any financial help available?......Page 153 Dealing with conflict......Page 157 Making a complaint......Page 159 When you think your child isn’t being cared for properly......Page 161 How to make an official complaint......Page 164 Compliments......Page 167 11 Questions to Ask......Page 168 Questions to ask a prospective nanny......Page 169 Questions to ask when considering a day nursery......Page 170 Questions to ask a prospective childminder......Page 172 Do’s and don’ts when choosing and arranging childcare......Page 173 Useful websites......Page 175 I......Page 176 W......Page 177 Allison Lee has been a childminder herself for over 11 years and is employed part-time by her local authority as a support childminder giving help and advice to other practitioners. She is author of "Starting Your Own Childminding Business" and "The Childminder's Companion." Social sciences. Childcare.