Help!! Quality ECE or Home-based Care

I'm not in chch so can't help with actual places but for us we didn't go with in home care for a couple of reasons. We wanted him to get more socialisation so a centre worked well for that.

Daniel goes to a nice one and on 2 of his 3 days theres only about 7 of them there. We also figured that he gets loads of mothery type care at home and that we thought was the only real benefit to in home care that we could see.

Daniel also didn't really like large groups of kids so I chose his centre based around that and made sure I went along for a few visits before he went without me to get him use to it all and he loves it! Hes a social butterfly now, goes up to everyone to say Hi!

My DS goes to Kiwi Kids in Hillmorton and it has the same ratio as Emz childrens' daycare, 1:3 or 4. Other reasons I chose it was it has great outdoor areas that are separated into the different age brackets, primary caregivers and freshly cooked lunches everyday. My son has been there since he was 5 and half months (now 11 and a half months) and he has such a great relationship with his primary and secondary carer.
I didn't like the idea of home based as if anything went wrong, there is only one adult etc. Also, I don't feel that they are monitored as much either. (IMO)
I hope you find something that suits both you and your little one.

Hi, I don't really know a lot about it but my SIL in chch has trainee nannies a couple of days each week - for free. Perhaps you could contact wherever they do their training? It is working out well for my SIL as one child is at school, and the other pre-school 2/3 days a week and she no longer wants to employ a full time nanny.

ETA - just thought i would add that she has used nannies since the girls were babies, and they have been fantastic.

Edited by squoggs

What area are you in Becky?

My friends boy goes to ABC Somerfield but don't know much about it other than she likes it.

Maybe get in touch with Porse, Kidz First (or something like that), Barnados to see what they have available?

Oh actually in Hoon Hay just down from us they have Cherry's Early Learning Centre (www.cherrys.co.nz) which is more of a homely feel. Website says the nursery ratio is 1:3.6 and 2-5's are 1:6.6-1:8.25 so not bad. Don't know about cost though. They are supposed to be quite good.