Just before my child turned 2, I realised I had to return to work and was thrown into the dilemma of which kind of childcare provision I should use, eventually my decision was based on the following beliefs:  
  Family and Friends – although they would have been willing to help out for short periods none could fully commit to long periods and/or cover my whole working week. This would have resulted in my daughter having an inconsistency in her care and that terrible addition to parental guilt that I was ‘putting on people’. Nanny – Well apart from the financial issue and not having the room to comfortably accommodate an additional person in my home, I personally felt that it would mean that my child would not benefit from any social interaction and would only learn to become totally reliant on myself and the Nanny.  
       
 

Childminders – there were many of these in my local vicinity, but again I felt that relying on one person to care for my child, left myself open to the stress of making alternative arrangements if the childminder was taken ill, or indeed when they took their holidays.

 Nursery – On balance I felt this ticked all the boxes. The cost was manageable (especially with the extra help that can now be accessed via Tax Credits and Childcare Vouchers), my child was cared for in an environment where she quickly became familiar with all the staff and children and staff sickness or holidays were never my concern. In addition all staff were CRB checked and overall it seemed a safer environment, due to the number of staff working together. However, one of the major selling points for me was that my child would be offered a wide variety of toys, play experiences, trips and social interaction.  
 

 

  
 

I have been very happy with the outcome of my decision and my child has definitely benefited from the experience and has come away with a lot of positive personality attributes.

Obviously, these variables are not the same for everyone, but I felt this was a good way to illustrate why from personal experience I believe nursery provision is a strong contender when deciding upon quality childcare.


  
  I actually ended up using the services of two different nurseries and came to the conclusion that as excellent as the care of my child was and the variety opportunities she received – the ingredients of these I intend to fully embrace - there was more that could be done, to offer the parents a service which lightens the load and this is where I wish to ‘bridge the gap’, in addition to offering the first class quality of childcare which I would want for my child:  
 

1. We will open 52 weeks of the year.
2. We will be closed Bank Holidays - but you will not be charged.
3. Breakfast, lunch, and tea will be provided inclusive of the price.
4. Nappies, nappy cream and wipes will be included in the price.
5. You will be entitled to a 2 weeks non-payment holiday*
6. A wide range of activities including arts, crafts, baking, etc will be
provided.
7. Outside play will be a big part of the Nursery day - often utilising
the numerous local parks.
8. Regular trips will be organised.
9. TV will NOT play a regular part in our daily schedule*
10. Each child will be given 1-2 free t-shirts (dependant on number of
sessions attended) and a free bag, on registration
11. We will offer a fully functioning ‘Keyperson’ system. This is a dedicated member of staff who takes overall responsibility for your child’s care and welfare and whilst your child will be comfortable and happy with any member of our team, this person will be responsible for keeping their development records up to date and ensuring their daily care from nappy changing to adhering to any allergies is maintained by all members of staff.
12. We will be running a Direct Debit payment system*
13. We accept a variety of childcare vouchers – please ask us for
further details.
 
  * Full details, terms and conditions are shown in our brochure.