Finding child care

Are you finding yourself on the search for care for your child?

Often it can seem overwhelming and challenging. Once the first steps are taken you are on your way to finding child care suitable for your child.

But what does the first steps look like?

First is deciding which care option best suits your family needs.

Then begins the task of finding the child care centre.

Finding the right service is not as easy as it sounds.

Most services welcome inquires and new families. Not all services will have availability.

Not only do you need to have all the elements that are specific to you aligned such as the location, the cost, etc you are on the search to find a service that has a vacancy as well as meets all your needs and wants.Your situation means that you need to find suitable child care for your child.

It is important when you are choosing child care to decide what you need and want from care and then decide the best care option for your family. Preschool or Kindy may suit one family. Family Day Care may suit another family.

The fantastic thing about your search for care is that you are in control of which option best suits your needs and you get to make the ultimate decision on the care.

Once the type of care option is decided upon it is important to have a flexible approach. Your priority is the best care available for your children which should be delivered as quality care.

You may find that there is a perfectly brilliant carer that fits your needs better than child care service in the next road to you. Be open to change your search for quality care that best suits your needs and is the best option for your child.

Of course, what is ‘the best’ depends on many factors and is specific to your circumstances and needs. You may have strong views, thoughts or ideas of what you expect or what is important to you. So thinking about and making a list of what is most important to you is a good idea and you can use it as a checklist when first starting your search.

Finding care that is quality is important, not only for your piece of mind, but most importantly for the child/ren and their development and happiness.

We recommend having a carefully thought out list when you begin your search for child care about what you are looking for, your expectations, and what you think would be the best fit for you and your child based on what qualities you think are important as well as the child’s personality, temperament and your philosophy matching the potential service.

Asking yourself some base questions will help you define what suits best such as:

• How old child will your child be? This may influence the type of care and availability for some options. Some services cater for babies and others only for the older age group.
• How much care will your child need each day and/or per week? Again, some services offer specific number of hours, days, etc which may limit your search depending on your needs.
• What are you willing to travel to the service? You may have found the perfect service for your child but it is some distance away. Ask yourself if realistically and logistically are you able to travel this each day.

1. There should be consistency of carers – particularly when they under five years, although ad hoc arrangements with different carers are not good for a child of any age under or over 5 years.
2. High ratios of staff are also important. The regulations dictate and service must adhere to a staff to child ratio, however, you may find that some services go above this to ensure quality care and education.
3. Children need an affectionate environment where they are stimulated and educated in ways appropriate for their age.
4. They also need a safe setting.

• What is the Quality rating?
• What are the costs? What are the fees? Does it cost to place my child on a wait list? Are there additional costs incurred over and above the fees?
• What are the operating times? Do you operate during school holidays? Do you offer a school holiday program for older children?
• What is the availability? Just because a centre has spaces does not necessarily mean it is the centre for you and your child on the day/s or hours required.
• What hours of care do you offer? Do they do half days? Split shifts such as before and after school? Can you purchase additional days/hours? Do they do make-up days?
• Is the centre safe?  What does the equipment, the playground, the play areas look like?  Does the environment look well maintained? Have any children been ‘lost’ from the centre or injured?
• Can you visit whenever you want and are you made feel welcome? Are you able to participate in the centre at all? Does the centre have ‘events’ or ‘occasions’ where parents are encouraged to attend?
• Are you able to or feel comfortable to talk to the carers about your child? What is the communication about child’s progress, their day, etc?
• Are you aware or the centres policies and procedures? Is the service information easily accessed? Services must display their service information such as operational information (times of operation, staffing qualifications, contact details, service provider information, etc), policies and procedures should be displayed. This information should be made available to you on request. These policies should be child and family focused whilst being sensitive to cultural and social backgrounds.
• Is your child made to feel welcome? Is your child happy there?
• How does the program meet the different needs, interests and experiences of the children? Is there a program for the children? How is the program done? Is it done via observations, etc?
• Are the routine times pleasant? Do they flow or are they regimented and stilted?
• What are mealtimes like?  Does the service offer catering? How is the food prepared?
• Is sleep time relaxed and not stressful?
• Space to play outdoors- what is the outdoor area like?
• What are the ratio of children to carers?
• What is the service attitude towards behaviour?
• What is your policy on the amount of television/videos watched?
• What is the sleeping arrangements for the children?
• Location and if necessary the accessibility by public transport and/or parking.

There are many ways you can find a child care vacancy.

Visiting the service, word of mouth, doing a Google search are common.

The first three sites are Government based.

• https://www.startingblocks.gov.au/find-child-care/
• https://www.childcarefinder.gov.au/
• https://www.acecqa.gov.au/
• The Care For Kids website also allows you to check for vacancies and receive an alert if there is one and see what child care is in your area. www.careforkids.com.au
• If you are looking for Family Day Care https://www.familydaycare.com.au/findchildcare