Childcare in Brisbane

[Julia]

Hi - I have a 6 month old girl and I have had my name on childcare waiting lists since April 2004 and I have just been offered 1 day a week from the end of May but not due to go back to work until the end of August. I was told that if I don't take this place I will move down the waiting list and if I take the one day it makes it easier to get the additional days I'm after. I don't know what to do, I don't feel as though I'm ready to give her up one day a week as well as having to pay $52 per day when I don't need the care. Has anyone got any good reports on childcare centres in the city or northside? Something has to be done to the childcare situation in this country.

[xkwzit]

Hi Julia
I was in a similar situation to you and by the time DD1 was offered a spot, she was 12 months old :eek: . I actually turned down the vacancy (silly me), as my Mum was still happy looking after her on the days I was at work and if I waited until the end of the year, she would be old enough for the toddler room. Trouble was I had figured that toddler spaces would be easier to come by and they weren't (at least at our centre). I very nearly didn't get her in for the beginning of the next year as there were not going to be vacancies in the toddler rooms. Luckily, one opened up and I was able to get her in pretty much when I wanted. But I had to take one day at a time as they opened up.

With DD2 I've taken the nursery spot as soon as it came available - finally. Again DD2 was 12 months old (even though she'd been on the list since 3 months BEFORE birth). I've taken the vacancy for two reasons; at least now she's in and my poor mum could do with a bit of a baby care break.

You'll need to decide what you can and can't live with. If you are going to really need that spot when you go back to work and your return to work timetable is pretty fixed, you may not be able to take the risk that another vacancy will arise when you need it (esp. if you are going back to the bottom of the list - check that, my centre didn't do that to me when I turned down the first vacancy - but I still had trouble). If you have some flexibility - you may be able to take a chance.

I've certainly heard of Mums taking days they DIDN'T want in order to get higher up the list to get the days they really did want.

Best of Luck

[kiara]

Hi Julia,

Childcare spots are very hard to get into. I also know that if it is a good childcare centres spots are few and far between. Even though your not going back to work till August this would be a perfect opportunity to allow your child to adjust to a new environment and new people. Some children take a little while to settle into childcare and being 1day a week it may take over a month to do this. I know it may seem a little silly to put them in when you don't "really" need it but at least by the time you go back to work your child chould be settled into daycare and you won't have that extra stress throughout the day. You are allowed to stay with your child as long as you like in centres so maybe even just go along for the first few times and you stay with them for an hour, leave them for 3 and stay for half an hour when you pick them up.

As for lack of centres there is a shortage in qualified and good quality staff as well as the centres. There is a lot that childcare workers have to do that most people wouldn't believe.

Good luck and I hope that you feel comfortable in which ever decision you make.

[Trina]

Hi Julia

I agree with Kiara. Take the day offerred and use the time to get your little one use to childcare it's also a good opportunity for you to get you use to it to. Start off by leaving her for an hour or so and then build up the time. When you are confident all is well you can then enjoy some well deserved 'Me' time....