Childcare Solutions - Tips and Advice on Finding the Right Childcare

• BBC - Parenting - Working Parents - helpful info from the BBC
• Childcare Link - extensive child care government site
• Childcare Vouchers - Government voucher scheme  - save up to £1195/year on the cost of childcare.
• Daycare Trust - National Childcare Charity
• Direct.gov.uk - advice on choosing child care
• Direct.gov.uk - search tool to find child minders, nurseries, primary and secondary schools using your post code
• Emergency Childcare - do you need to find childcare in a hurry? Emergency Childcare is the only organisation in the UK that gives you the opportunity to book local nursery and childminder places or an emergency nanny on a flexible, ad hoc or daily basis.
• Making Child Care Choices (Know How Leaflet for Parents) - PDF leaflet to read
• Mother At Work - online mag for mums who work including a childcare section
• National Day Nurseries Association - a national charity - lots of info

Top childcare tips

from The Childrens Campaign daycare trust

Good quality, affordable and accessible childcare is invaluable and beneficial to children's development. However, finding and using childcare can be a struggle for some parents. Here are our tips to help you to take advantage of childcare services.

Benefit from the outcomes of childcare.

Childcare can be very beneficial for both children and parents. It can help children to develop more effectively, giving them a better start in life, and can open up opportunities for parents and carers allowing them to work, train or study. Make sure you're not missing out!

Find out about local childcare.

If you want to find out what childcare is available in your area, you can contact your local Family Information Service (FIS) or search for services on Daycare Trust's Family Information Directory (FID). There is a FIS in each local authority area and their function is to provide information to parents, carers and others about local childcare and family services.

Both the FIS and the FID hold details of all registered childcare providers in your area, including nurseries, childminders, playgroups and more and depending on the service offered, may be able to find childcare arrangements that are suitable for you.

You can get contact details for your local Family Information Service by using the Family Information Directory or by contacting 0800 234 6346.

Get help with childcare costs.

Make sure you are getting all the financial assistance available to you to help you pay for your childcare costs. If you are a working parent you may get help through Working Tax Credit or employer-supported childcare, or if you are studying there may be help available from your college or training provider. Call our Information Line or see our Paying for childcare website for information.

Think about your childcare needs during holidays.

You may find that you need to use additional childcare during the holiday times, such as the long summer break, especially if you have school-aged children. With the summer holidays approaching, if you want to use a holiday playscheme make sure you look into these as soon as you can, as places can often get booked up quickly. Your local Family Informaion Service (see above) will have details of local schemes.

Remember that your childcare costs may alter through the year.

If you are claiming Working Tax Credit and your childcare costs change by £10 or more per week for at least 4 weeks in a row, your tax credit award is likely to change. Any changes to your childcare costs - or other circumstances that affect your Tax Credits claim, for example, income - should be reported to the Tax Credit office within 30 days to avoid overpayments of Tax Credits. Contact the Tax Credit Helpline on 0845 300 3900.

Don't miss out on free childcare.

If your child is 3- or 4-years old, they are eligible for a free part-time early years place of at least 15 hours a week in England and 10 hours a week in Wales. In some areas, certain two-year olds are also entitled to free early years places. To find out about places and to see if you live in a pilot area, contact your local Family Information Service (see above).

Share the cost.

Some parents share childcare with family members or friends. This applies especially to parents who use nannies, which can be an expensive form of childcare. But remember, you can only claim help with childcare costs if your nanny is registered on the Voluntary Ofsted Childcare Register in England (seewww.ofsted.gov.uk for information) or approved by the Childcare Approval Scheme Wales (seewww.childcareapprovalschemewales.co.uk for more information).

Make sure it is suitable.

It is important that the childcare you choose meets your own, and your children's, needs. For an idea of the type of questions you should think of asking when visiting potential childcare providers, see Finding and Choosing Childcare.

You can also call our Information Line on 0845 872 6251 to discuss your childcare options.

Start looking early!

Many parents are able to find suitable childcare as soon as they need it, but for others it may take several months of searching before you can find somewhere that accommodates both your own and your child's needs. Give yourself enough time to research, seek advice from other parents and check registration certificates and references.

Time to settle in.

Your child may take some time to settle into any new childcare setting that you start them in, so allow them time to adjust to their new surroundings, especially if this is their first time in childcare. Remember that most childcarers, such as childminders, will offer a ‘settling in period', where you have an agreed length of time to assess whether the setting is the right one for your child and that they are happy there.