Infant Daycare in Dunedin

I'm new to Dunedin and will be needing part time daycare for my baby when it's born, he/she will be going at 4 months old. I wondered if any Mums can recommend a good daycare? I've signed up for one which I know is good but they have a very long wait list so I need to enroll in a back-up or two! Any advice appreciated, thanks!

I've heard positive things about uni daycare, polytech daycare, kiddie campus (I think it is). We went home based care and that's been fab. I wasn't ready to put my little person into a really busy environment under 2 years of age - preferred the home setting. Still had some other children there, so has thrived with a small & consistent group. It is definitely worth visiting places. With home based, completely go on your gut...I visited an atrocious (in my view) carer before being put onto the one I have gone with who is fabulous - so, don't just settle for anything.

Thanks for your replies, I work at the University so obviously have signed up there because it's so conveniently close to my lab, but other than that I have no idea of places and was hoping to get some suggestions. I've looked into home-based care as I like the sound of this, but the places I've seen actually work out to be more expensive than a nursery so I'm exploring all options :)

Kernowexile - There are a few home-based options - Dunedin Child Care Association (I think is about $5.20 per hour), Wild Things ($5.30per hour), I think there is one called Origins?? , and there is Porse too (which is little more maybe $6 something) an hour...Um quick google showed up another couple - Barnardos ...Another company called Quality Homebased Care...Te Aroha Homebased care...

Guest_73194 wrote: Ps. City Heights Montessori don't cater for infants, which is a shame because I've heard good things about them.

This is untrue. My DS goes to City Heights Day care and he started there at 8 months. They cater from birth as at present I know they have an 8 week old baby there.

I find City heights to be very good. They are very flexible and stick to home routines. The ladies there are lovely and take such great care of them!

little citizens are good,I've heard from other people that the hospital and uni centres are really good but they have long waiting lists. If you attend playgroups you'll get a really good idea of where to go and which to stay away from, thats how i got sorted. I think city heights have a few staff members that are not that great with the kids.

Edited by janine90

ooh bythesea2 - thanks for the info about Polykids. So you don't need to be staff or student of the Polytech to use it??

Hi there

I am a qualified teacher working for Footsteps poutama in Dunedin. Footsteps provides free home based education for children from birth to 6 years of age. Footsteps' qualified teachers work with caregivers who look after children for a minimum of 18 hours weekly. You may like to consider having your infant cared for in a home environment rather than in a large, early childhood center. Home based care and education offers a much higher level of support, especially for infants, and many parents find this setting is perferable as it is more intimate and not so busy, with more adult to child contact and care.

Footsteps poutama welcomes you to view our website: www.footsteps.co.nz

I look foward to chatting with you further if you require more information. My cel: 027 5710 322

Im a qualified ece teacher working with infants, and even Id recommend home based care for under 1's, certainly under 6 months..you can have the best quality daycare but nothing beats being in a lovely home with just one primary caregiver so they build that great bond (just like staying at an auntys or grandparents) they can go to sleep in a nice quiet dark room without other noisy babies, and a home based carer can only have 4 kids at a time, and only 2 of then can be under 2 years old so you know baby will get the attention and time they need. Most carers dont even take on 4 kids so its even better! Just google "home based care wellington" and lots will pop up. Through a company you are entitled to the same subsidies as with daycare etc too and often is much cheaper or at least the same for more quality care.lots of teachers who leave work to have their own kids do it so you can end up with a qualified teacher too! Seriously look into it. Yes there are awesome childcare centres around but nothing beats being at home for the little ones :)