Daycare/creche/playcentre...
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Topic: Daycare/creche/playcentre...
Posted By: baalamb
Subject: Daycare/creche/playcentre...
Date Posted: 09 July 2007 at 2:10pm
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... kindy? What have I missed out?
Can anybody define these for me!? And what are the differences? I've applied for another job (I hate hate hate my current part time one. The awful phone call I had from my boss this morning was totally the last straw and ruined my day  ) and it means possibly putting Ashlee into care on some weekdays (maximum 2!) BUT only for a matter of hours from about 3pm-5pm.
What childcare establishment will not take part timers? And where on earth do I start to do my research for these types of things?  is it a case of me having to ring through the yellow pages?
Thanks!!! |
Replies:
Posted By: my2angels
Date Posted: 09 July 2007 at 2:14pm
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Im not 100% sure but daycare/preschool is what Kobe goes to. Generally the most expensive but you can get subsidised. Its basically full time care for child with trained teachers etc... This is what i would go for at Ashlees age myself.
Playcentre I think you have to stay with them, its just a playgroup type thing. You may actually be able to leave them there in some places but they have to be of a certain age and generally is parent help or not trained people. Kindy is for older kids but the age varies. There is morning and afternoon kindy depending on the age and it finishes around 3pm. Its kind of a step before school. Its not often structured although they sometimes do activites its generally just free play. As I said I could be wrong about some of this but thats my take on it all. |
Posted By: nikkitheknitter
Date Posted: 09 July 2007 at 2:14pm
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I think daycare/creche are the same thing - you pay ECE to look after your child in a group situation.
Playcenter is a parent-run thing. You have to attend sessions with your child. Kindy is for older kids and I don't really get how it works! Homecare is another option. Where you have someone come to your house to care for your kiddo, or send them to a carer's house. |
Posted By: caliandjack
Date Posted: 09 July 2007 at 2:22pm
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Kindy is for 3 and 4 year olds, and they have morning and afternoon sessions, and run terms similar to the school year.
Daycare/creche/pre-school can start from 3 months until school aged. Most have seperate teachers for under 2s. There are lots of different variations, Barnardos, Monterssori, etc As for where to start, I'm sure there are plenty of Wellington mums on here who can recommend somewhere. Home based care can either be in your home or the home of the carer. ie Porse ------------- http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow">   [/url] Angel June 2012 |
Posted By: baalamb
Date Posted: 09 July 2007 at 2:41pm
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Does daycare/preschool do part time? Or is that determined by the actual centre itself?
I'll probably end up having to do homecare if I only need someone for a few hours a week. Ideally, I wanted to send her in a group situation but oh well! (P.S I only sent my application in via email at 1.38pm today and at 1.51pm I received an email back saying 'when do you want an interview?'  I guess it helps that it's at my old workplace where I finished up on maternity leave)
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Posted By: lizzle
Date Posted: 09 July 2007 at 2:45pm
| playcentre you usually have to attend but it is very differnt from a "play group" as in most activities are educaitonaly based and you have to do courses - well you don't have to, but there must be course holders at the sessions. |
Posted By: Two Blondinis
Date Posted: 09 July 2007 at 2:47pm
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good luck with the job Kirst!
We're about to sign up to a Playcentre, but she has to go minimum of twice a week and someone has to stay with her. So not what you're after. Don't know about the others, it's taken me ages to work out where Caitlin can go for social interaction with kids her own age that don't insist she go 5 days and charge $200! ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
 
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Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 09 July 2007 at 2:53pm
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With daycare there is normally a min booking time. For ours its 3 "school day" 6 1/2 hours that they HAVE to be booked in for. Some do sessional but it would be a case of ringing around and seeing when they have a spot (some a booked for up to 6 months before you can get a spot). ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: Katherine
Date Posted: 09 July 2007 at 3:01pm
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Some daycares do part-time, but it depends on the centre and their policies. There is usually a minimum (like two days a week, around 6.5 hours for each day) and you pay whether your child is there or not. Also, some centres will not take part-timers because it messes with their carer-child ratio and on the days when your child isn't there, it's hard for them to find another child to take their place. They're not always flexible on what days your child is part-time, as well -- they may have a part-time opening but for certain days of the week, not necessarily the days and times you want. For a bit more flexibility, it sounds like home-based care might work better for you. I send Emma Rose to a PORSE educator's home for two days a week when I work outside the home, but she is flexible enough that I can send her for extra days when I need to. Initially she was going for two afternoons a week, and our schedule has evolved so that her days are always changing now, but I like that her carer is consistent and the other children she is around are the same every time (as the carer looks after other children as well as mine, so she is getting social interaction). It might be worth looking into. Unfortunately, because so many different places have different schedules and policies, you may have to ring around to find out what will work best. It's good it you have a firm idea of your schedule as well, because then they will be better able to answer your questions and tell you if they can meet your needs. Good luck! |
Posted By: baalamb
Date Posted: 09 July 2007 at 3:02pm
Thanks!!!  Yeah I ideally would like to send Ashlee somewhere where she could play with other kids. But I don't want to pay the earth for it!
My cousin's an ECE worker, so I'm going to ask if she's got any ideas but I'm currently out of credit on my phone. |
Posted By: megrac
Date Posted: 09 July 2007 at 3:15pm
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homebased care is very flexable you can have the hours you want and the ratio is 1:4 and the caregiver can also take her to a playgroup. you can also get a goverment subsidy if you are under the income threshold not sure what it is though.
kindy is for 3 years till 5 years so wont suit you. daycare and creash i think are pretty much the same but i dont know much about them as i am a homebased childcarer so i am also a bit biased here. so can only really give you advice on what i know. so if you want to know more about homebased feel free to ask. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: nuttymama
Date Posted: 09 July 2007 at 3:18pm
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Just to add Abby goes to a pre-school here in CHCH and there minimum session is one. When she started she only went three hours a week and then we increased it. They do two three hour sessions a day. It is cheaper the you go more, but we pay $15-00 a week for 12.5 hours (Cheap compared to what we used to pay elsewhere). ------------- Abigail 06/01/2005 Jayden 21/11/2001 Micheal 03/04/1997 |
Posted By: Kels
Date Posted: 09 July 2007 at 3:35pm
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Goodluck with the job Kirst I know of a few good centres around but they have really long waiting lists. I know there is a PORSE place in Alicetown that you could go and see about homecare or there is Barnados family day care where she can go into someones home. Goodluck with what you decide ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
Busy mum to Miss 15yrs, Miss 10yrs and Master 4yrs |
Posted By: Katherine
Date Posted: 09 July 2007 at 4:05pm
By the way, Kirsten, Em's PORSE carer takes her to Mainly Music and playgroup when she's there on those days -- and PORSE also has scheduled activities for the carers and kids to go to every month, so they definitely get opportunities to play with other kids. When I first called PORSE, I wasn't sure what I wanted, so they sent someone out to interview me and find out what my needs were, then they matched us up with a carer. It was a lot easier than ringing around (especially as we were new to the area and didn't know who to call). I'm a big fan of home-based care as a result, and Em's caregiver is a real sweetheart. My two cents! 
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