Child Care Waiting lists

[fee's]

Can anyone let me know how close to your return to work date did child care centres start letting you know they would have a space for you.
I have my son's name down at 14 centres (10 from before he was born) and I am yet to get any positive date for him to start. I am not returning to work until June but am starting to get a little stressed. Do they only let you know at the last minute or when the next open place comes up??:confused:

[rynosmum]

They generally only seem to let you know close to your chosen dates. I registered with 14 centres as well before bubs was born and only found one that offered me a place when I needed it. I luckily found a new centre and extra luckily, found them when they had one place left. Even now that bubs is almost 2 years old, I'm still finally getting calls from centres offering me nursery places ??

Ring them all and ask for an update as to whether or not you are near the top of the list. It's all you can do at this point - keep your eyes out for new centres though.:fingerscrossed:

[whatwasithinking]

I booked childcare for Hannah when I was 7mths pregnant at various places. I got a spot when she was 10months old.
The centres have so many on the waiting list that the only way your name will come up in a reasonable timeframe is to ring and ring and ring. Hound them so much that they know exactly who you are and will move their butts into action. I rang every 3-4wks. This practice was even encouraged by the childcare directors themselves.

[fee's]

thanks - looks like I will need to make a pest of myself. good practice for returning to work I guess:laughing:

[xkwzit]

Hi Fee
The centre where I had my DDs on the waiting list were very up front about the fact that the more often you called them the more likely they would offer you a spot. So the waiting list was not strictly adhered to (at this centre anyway - at least they were open about it). And in fact both times I was offered a spot within days of me ringing to say "is there a spot soon?". Ask them point blank if they maintain a strict waiting list or not, then at least you'll know which centres to make yourself a pain at :D .

Cheers

[JodieC]

When my son was 1 i wanted him to start attending day care just 1 day a week so he could interact with children his own age, so i rang the local day care centre and said i would like him in 1 day a week and that i didnt care what day it was, what ever day was available. 2 YEARS LATER, I get a phone call asking if im still interested, I replied "yes i am" she says "just letting you know hes moved up the list and we'll let you know when a place is available". Anyway we moved from that house when he was 5 and i still never got a call about a place. ALL I WANTED WAS ONE DAY A WEEK OF FREEDOM :crying:

[shed]

Geez, is this true?

So I need to book a place for bubby now, if I want to go back to work for 2 days a week when he is about six months old?

He's not even born yet!! Should I book him in now?

It feels so brutal. He's not even born and I feel like I am trying to fob him off already :(

[littlepumpkin]

Hi shed,

You should definately put your name down now. Finding a position for under 2 year olds in sydney is really hard. I run a home based childcare and had mothers put there names down in 2005 for 2007 and i still don't know if they will actually get a position.

[GoingQuackers]

I booked my DD into 5 centres when I was 10 weeks pregnant, hoping to get a place a year on. I didnt go back to work as early as planned so I wasnt upset when I didnt hear from them, but a few months later (ie about 15 months after I put her name down) I spoke to one who said I would get a spot in a months time. Well I never agiaa heard from them and they insisted I DONT ring often as t is not supposed to help. I believe that is worng - people who do ring often or who need a spot urgently get moved up the list. My daughter is now 16 months old and I have just been offered a spot now!!!! Luckily I didnt need to go back to work before now. I would put your name down ASAP and ring them regularly to let them know you are keen otherwise someone else will move up in front of you because they bother the centre more!

Good luck!

[xkwzit]

Hi Shed
PUT HIM DOWN NOW (if you are really committed to getting back to work).

I understand how hard that can be though, with DD1 I couldn't make a decision about child care or getting back to work until she arrived. I put her down on the waiting list when she was 6 weeks old and was not offered a spot for over a year. Thank goodness for Grandmas willing to step into the breach :D .

I had DD2 on the waiting list from at least 3 months before she was born and I was offered a spot when she was 11.5 months old (just before I wanted it).

Cheers

[kiwibird27]

JodieC -centre's will rarely offer u one day a week because usually children who attend one day have alot of trouble settling, thus causing more work for the staff - sorry, but centre's really do pick and choose their children and families!!!!

Everyone probably needs to think of waiting lists not as "booking your child in" but more as an application of interest in childcare - You need to go and find the perfect centre that fits your needs and that u really like - have a look arond several times and when your happy tell them this is the only centre in the area that your happy with, and the ONLY centre you will waitlist at - make yourself memorable - tell them how happy u are with the facilities, then ring everyweek and nicely remind them who u are - only deal with one person e.g.director!!! Build up a repoire!!!!

Centre's usually only know 2 weeks ahead of time of places coming up, If you don't mind which days - tell them how flexible u are - parents with rigid timetables are hard to cater to because they have to replace a child or family who attends specific days!!!

Centre's always take siblings of children attending first so often nursery and toddler positions fill up internally, parents who work usually get preferance too!!! Along with the owners sons best friend, the teachers aunties neighbour ......... u get the picture----------make the director your best friend and do so in person NOT over the phone

[Devs Mum]

I was lucky. We moved house in December and in January I rang 3 local centres and said I needed a place 4 days a week starting February. All had a place available. I think it really depends on when you ask - January all the kids were being re-assessed, moving up rooms or onto kinda/schools. Little Dev 12months loves the childcare centre we chose.
(PS. We were on a waiting list 8 months in our previous area and didn't here from the centre we were registered at)

[Fairyfloss]

I have to agree with Devs Mum, I had put my baby to come on the list for Aug next year, when I was 8 weeks pregnant, I dropped by last week to check a few things and ask a couple of more questions when I was told, that it will be very unlikely for them to be able to offer me a place mid year, as I wanted 5 days a week care, and they do their assessment around Jan, and I was also told, that if I request a place for say 2 days a week in Jan and get then decide to switch to full time at Aug, I will be ahead a person who does not already have a care place, but even then they can not guarantee, I can switch to full time, and the best option is to request for a place in Jan, the only thing I have now to decide is should I say Jan 2007 or 2008 cause each comes with its own pros and cons. So plan ahead for sure.

[jessgray]

i have foudn the larger centres often have long waiting lists. my son goes to a small daycare not far from where we live and its a not for profit one he got a place within 2 weeks. where as the larger centre didnt even think of giving my son a place till he had been settled at the daycare he goes to now for a month.
he goes 2 days a week wednesdays and fridays. i can get more days i want them but i dont.
also anyone who is studying or returning to work should contact JET at thier local centerlink office to get childcare funding once your child is in a centre:)
it dramaticly reduces your fees to a tiny amount. mine are $4 a week lol:smiliedance: :laughing:

[Brooksy]

I read in the paper and saw also on a currant affair that they are going to make a register so they will be able to tell you what centres are available in your area and how many vaccancies they have or when one comes up. Currently the hotline only tells you what centres are in your area. Its going to take a while apparently to set up but this will be good for everyone once it is working.

I know at the child care centre I work at that we have to give preference to siblings and also to working parents over non-working parents especially the under three age group is the one that fills up really quickly.

I was lucky that i had dd in dec and booked her into my work when i went on maternity leave in dec, as they are very full in the nursery this year. I went back to work when dd was three months old and she attends the centre two days and is looked after her grandparents three days.

In my area we have a bit of an oversupply of child care centres we have around 14 child care centres but i bet everyone is full in the nursery and toddler room.

[jessgray]

there is a site you can join to get alerts on vacancies in child care. i cant remeber the site link now. it was something like kidscare or something. i foudn it on a google search.