Daycare advice
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Category: Have A Baby?
Forum Name: First baby? Second or more?
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Topic: Daycare advice
Posted By: MissAngel
Subject: Daycare advice
Date Posted: 10 July 2008 at 6:33am
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So i've heard that there can be massive waiting lists for daycare, which is really stink! Should I be enrolling Thomas in one/a few now so he can get a place when he's a few more months older? What should I be looking out for etc? Do I just phone up and tell them i'd like to come and have a lookie at the place etc? I have no idea! :P Oh and how much should I be expecting to pay? (chch) ------------- Alex, Thomas and Lily http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow"> 
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Replies:
Posted By: cuppatea
Date Posted: 10 July 2008 at 8:21am
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Well I went to 4 centres in Kaiapoi when I wanted to put Spencer in and he started the next week on the days that I wanted. I would ring around Rangiora centres and ask if they have waiting lists. I think it might just be Auckland that has the huge waiting list problem. Not sure about Christchurch itself though if you are looking at using a centre in town.
Spencer's centre charges $19 per half session (4 hours) or $29 for a short day (8.30-4.30), its cheaper again if in full time. The ABC centre I looked at charged $27 for half session (3.5 hours) or $35 (I think) for a short day and $39 for a full day (7.30-5.30) so quite a difference in price. At his centre I have to provide food and nappies, but they provide everything else. It pays to go and have a look around some even if you aren't planning on using them just yet to get a feel of what will suit you, they all seem to have different ways and practices and its good to find out what sits well with you. The centre we picked isn't the newest or best equipped but I liked their approach to the childrens learning and the teachers seemed to genuinely love the children and enjoy being with them which I think is vitally important. The more expensive centre seemed commercial and almost clinical in its approach (it looked a bit hospital like inside as well, not very homely). ------------- 
 
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Posted By: Peanut
Date Posted: 10 July 2008 at 8:40am
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There is definately waiting lists in chch! DS has been on 3 waiting lists since he was 3 months old.
Prices in town vary from $145 full time with no food to $220 full time with food. I think with most daycares you supply nappies and formula, if they are on it. None of those ones are ABC or chain type daycares as I don't like them. Def go and visit 2 or 3 as it really helps you in spotting a good one. -------------  
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Posted By: Mikaela
Date Posted: 10 July 2008 at 9:32am
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Well I'm in Auckland where the big waiting lists are, and how bad is this: I put Alex down on two waiting lists when I was five months pregnant with him... and when I called those places a couple of weeks ago to see whether he's at the front of the list yet, they said that they don't have any room for another year.
GAH!!! Luckily then I found a brand new place which had only just opened and still had once space left. But yeah, up here waiting lists of 12 months plus are not uncommon. Often it's because kids who are already at the centre have siblings come along and those siblings get priority over kids on the waiting lists. ETA: And we pay $75 per day for two days a week *faints* ------------- http://www.bump-and-beyond.com"> 
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Posted By: Candkids
Date Posted: 10 July 2008 at 9:53am
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jett gos to a home caregiver its antastic as shes really flexable and we only pay per hour. and she takes them heaps of places just like a normal day @ home, the park, supermarket, pet shops , mc donalds, etc shes really great and its $4 a hour!
she has all her own cots, highchairs, toys , car seats  OMG $75 !! thats robbery!!
i dont like the chain ones either , sarah went to one and i wasnt impressed at all, 1 day i went in at 4pm (a hour early) to get her and they already had everything packed up and had all the kids in a room (one of the sleeping rooms) watching a video! ------------- http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow">  DD 10.5yrs DS 6yrs DS 11mths 5 little angles watching from above |
Posted By: Natalie_G
Date Posted: 10 July 2008 at 10:49am
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OMG I better get cracking and get on some watiting lists. I am in Auckland eekkk 1 year waiting lists man thats bad. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  
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Posted By: emz
Date Posted: 10 July 2008 at 11:18am
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Well Jack goes to an ABC in chch which is fantastic, but I went to other ones and thought they were bad.
If he was in fulltime we would pay $170 which includes food, just not formula and nappies (pretty standard). He's on the waiting list to get an extra afternoon but that won't be available till possibly mid next year 
You should look out for things like teacher:child ratio (should be about 1:4 max), resources, space, cleanliness, programmes in place, reporting to parents, other children the same age that will be in, where they sleep, policies they have that interest you (multicultural/religious etc), price obviously and hours - ours is open 7.30 to 5.30 whereas all the other ones I looked at were 8-4.30 which doesn't fit in with my work for a couple of years time. |
Posted By: pikelets
Date Posted: 10 July 2008 at 11:24am
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I recommend to just turn up (avoid lunchtimes though as they are busy and wouldn't appreciate it).
We turned up unannounced and it is amazing what you will see. You will also get a feel for the place on what it is really like. Also check to see if they will have the free 20 hrs when your bubs turns 3yrs. The ABC near my house doesn't so we have enrolled DS into one further away otherwise when he turns 3 we probably wouldn't get him in anywhere else. BTW - Cuppatea - I'm moving down to where you are coz it is so cheap!! Have you got a spare room LOL! ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
 3 Angels - Dec10 / Mar11 / Dec11
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Posted By: Natalie_G
Date Posted: 10 July 2008 at 11:39am
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Can anyone recommend anywhere in the North Shore area (Auck) a good affordable place?
I am trying to get prices out of ABC because they look really good, but they havent called me back. ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: LittleBug
Date Posted: 10 July 2008 at 1:46pm
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I would ring around and ask what their waiting lists are like, and ask when a good time would be to go in for a look around. Some places don't mind if you just turn up anytime but other places I went to were happy enough to have me look around, but sometimes didn't have an extra person available to give me a tour or answer my questions, so I came back another time. We booked in for about 5 different daycares months ago, and have just managed to get into one (the one I wanted) for only one day a week. A full day is $36 and I think the weekly rate is cheaper per hour. That includes food and everything except for milk and nappies. The lady at the daycare centre told me to keep calling back because the ones that are the most interested tend to get the places sooner, at their centre. Definitely go have a look around though, then you will get to see what the staff are like and how happy the children are, etc. as well as being able to ask questions that pop into your head when you see how things are run. ------------- Chloe (4 years) and Oliver (3 years). |
Posted By: peanut butter
Date Posted: 10 July 2008 at 2:27pm
| If you get stuck and can be bothered with a 20min drive I know both Amberley ones have spaces in the under 2's section. |
Posted By: Natalie_G
Date Posted: 10 July 2008 at 2:27pm
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I have gotten one response and they charge $60 a day, man its expensive in Auck. Hopefully I will get working for families, that will help. ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: lottieandharry
Date Posted: 10 July 2008 at 2:52pm
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I am in Rangiora and the waiting lists are pretty long for the over 2's and they were for under 2's when I put Charlottes name down about a year ago. The lady at ABC told me to fill in a registration form to get hetr name down then ring every 3 to 4 weeks to see if they have space.She said they note down how many times you ring as it shows definite interest zo when a space comes up they take the most interested first.
------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: emz
Date Posted: 10 July 2008 at 5:06pm
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Also, they take preference for babies already enrolled. So like Jack is only in one afternoon a week but will get the other spots I want over and above children who aren't enrolled in any times at the moment.
My friend said one place she looked at has a four year waiting list in Christchurch, so its definitely not easy. I will be enrolling our next one when I am pregnant to start the same days as Jack when s/he is about 3 months old. |
Posted By: CaseysMum
Date Posted: 10 July 2008 at 6:19pm
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I live in Oxford and we've only got one daycare out here and it has a waiting list of a few months last I checked it out.
I've heard its best just to turn up to catch them unaware - personally when I checked them out though there was a kidsfest thing on there that day so I didn't catch them by suprise as they were expecting extra people that day. I think the price there is now $4.50 an hour (it was $4 an hour when I paid for my daughter who is now 3 so gets it free but I think the price went up) I haven't put Zoey on any lists yet but she is only 2 and a half weeks old and I wont be putting her in at all till she is 12-18months old |
Posted By: Candkids
Date Posted: 10 July 2008 at 10:09pm
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lol on the waiting list topic my BFF rang me today she has just moved to mt isa in aussie and she cant start her job untill her girls get into a daycare over there and theres a 12mth wait!!!! ------------- http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow"> DD 10.5yrs DS 6yrs DS 11mths 5 little angles watching from above |
Posted By: Mazzy
Date Posted: 10 July 2008 at 10:14pm
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Ring a couple of places, they tend to have their own ways of letting you come in to check them out. Generally though, you'll get to go in there and spend a few hours at a time with Thomas to get a feel for the place, see if it's right for you. You can do that over a couple of days and at different times of the day. I'd get him on waiting lists now, our creche has a 12 month waiting list at all levels (under 2s, over 2s, preschool).
We pay $42 a day (9am - 3pm) two days a week. The hourly rate gets cheaper if you've got kids there for a full working day. ------------- Mum to two gorgeous girls! |
Posted By: Candkids
Date Posted: 11 July 2008 at 2:49pm
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was just talking to my SSIL she manages a daycare here, she said if she was looking she would go around lunch time, just turn up and take notice of the babies in the highchairs, then leave and go back for a second look in just over an hours time once lunch is finished.
------------- http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow"> DD 10.5yrs DS 6yrs DS 11mths 5 little angles watching from above |
Posted By: emz
Date Posted: 11 July 2008 at 3:09pm
| Personally, I would check first as our daycare has an open door policy but they ask for you not to come between 11.30-12.30 as its their busiest time with lunch, sleeps and morning/afternoon changeovers. And you have to respect that, why would you want to make their day harder? I went at 12.30 on the dot and it still gave me a good indication of what it's like. |
Posted By: Peanut
Date Posted: 11 July 2008 at 3:46pm
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I personally have just turned up and would always do that as you get a real sense of the place. If they are busy and can't deal with you then they will ask you to go back at another time...this is also a good way of seeing how they deal with problems, interruptions etc and gives you an idea of what sort of place it is.
I only went once to all the places I visited and put DS name on the lists of the places I liked. If he gets close to the top then they do the longer visits. I personally wouldn't want to spend a huge amount of time there if we aren't intending of using it. -------------
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Posted By: Mikaela
Date Posted: 11 July 2008 at 5:05pm
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A friend of mine made an appointment to go and see a childcare place, and then for some reason the appointment had to be rescheduled twice (both were good reasons: one time the director of the centre who normally gives the tours was in hospital and I can't remember the other reason except that it was valid).
Anyway, when she finally turned up for her appointment to go through the centre another woman turned up at the same time and demanded quite rudely to see through straight away. Apparently when the director politely explained that she was busy with my friend at that time but that she'd be more than happy to take the woman through at another pre-arranged time, the woman cut completely sick at the director and was yelling 'What have you got to hide?' etc etc. The director kept politely refusing to take her through without an appointment, and my friend was really glad about that, she said it was good to know that not just anyone could walk in off the street and be taken to where the children are. I think it's just good manners to ring and make an appointment to see through. I can't imagine that it would make that much of a difference in what you see - they have parents going in and out all day long, after all - and if anything you're likely to see more given that they'll have made sure there's someone who is available to give you a good, comprehensive tour and have time to answer your questions. ------------- http://www.bump-and-beyond.com">
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Posted By: Febgirl
Date Posted: 11 July 2008 at 6:30pm
| A hint about the Auckland childcare waiting lists - unless you ring them monthly after you've put your name down and ask about places they'll just bump you to the bottom of the list (or won't move you to the top) - the way to get a place is to enrol early (of course!) but don't assume they'll get back to you. Call, call, call so they know your name. We were offered places at all 3 inner city centres we put our name down for because we did this. |