I know one of the things that was a big concern when I first became a mother and then having to go back to work was finding suitable childcare. It’s really not something you can leave to chance. You have to do your homework or, often much-better is go by word-of-mouth recommendations from friends and other parents.
One site I wish I had stumbled across when I was in the early years of motherhood is childcare.co.uk – although, one I may very well turn to if we need a babysitter or tutor in the coming months/years.
Childcare, is the UK’s largest online community of parents, childcare providers, household helpers, schools and private tutors – to date it has 2 million users (that’s really some powerful word-of-mouth you can’t ignore) – so, here is a few reasons it really should be your first port of call whatever your childcare needs.
Local Care
Easily one of the best features of Childcare is that you can search for local childcare services using your postcode. This helps you find carers such as babysitters, registered childminders, nannies, private tutors and nurseries and, even maternity nurses and doulas all nearby to you.
Professional Check-List
Of course, choosing the perfect childcarer for you and your child is one of the most important things, the right person will mean you can rest reassured that your child’s care, well-being and learning are in safe hands. And, the way to ensure this is to check and double-check their credentials. This means certificates, documents and proof of identity. There is an extensive section on this on Childcare site on what to look for and how to best to tackle this check-list.
Tried & Trusted
Once you have decided on the local childcare provider/tutor/nanny etc. you would like to book (and checked their various papers), you can then read uploaded reviews by other parents who are members. This is done by using a 5-star rating system and written reviews of their personal experience, both which can help you decide.
Safe Communication
The Childcare site is also unique in that you can contact all the childcare providers registered (currently at 500,000 nationally) directly using its safe and secure private messaging system. This means both parties need not give out any personal contact information, like an email address until they choose to do so. You can also use this system to chat and network with other local parents and families, great if you are looking for say, a nanny share or other shared childcare.
No Hidden Fees
As you pay the childcare provider fees directly, this in turn means there are no booking fees or agency fees. One great feature is that you can again enter your postcode to check the cost of childcare services in your area and see how it compares locally and nationally.
- AD -This is a contributed post to promote the website but I have checked and reviewed the features myself before agreeing to post.
