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FionaO 
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Joined: 27 January 2008
Points: 3382
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 Topic: Child Care
Posted: 07 January 2009 at 8:05pm |
Hello,
Just after a bit of advice, specifically from those living in the welly region.
I had planned on returning to work in April and had my child care all sorted. I have since pretty much decided to extend my time off (and live off bread and water i think) and this will be giving up the place I have at the day care centre.
I am about to enquire with barnardos and porse to see what they have for around September time, but really keen for any recommendations anyone has at all for all types of care, i don't know whether I would prefer him to go to someone elses house or to a daycare - so anything anyone would like to share would be greatly appreciated.
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AandCsmum
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Joined: 13 May 2008
Location: Palmerston North
Points: 8432
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Posted: 08 January 2009 at 7:53am |
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I used Barnadoes & Easymind with my DD for the whole of her time before starting school. I only changed company's because the caregiver changed.
I found it fabulous, I supplied food, nappies etc & got a little report about each day so I knew exactly what was happening in her daily life.
Hours are WAY more flexible. Plus once they are kindy age they can go to kindy as well, my caregiver picked her up from kindy for me as well.
And the thing I liked the most was that it was a home environment & I knew who was going to be looking after her. Plus I found that she has had quite a healthy preschool child hood.
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Kel
A = 01.02.04 & C = 16.01.09 & G = 30.03.12
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FionaO
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Joined: 27 January 2008
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Posted: 08 January 2009 at 9:43am |
Thanks, oooh you make an interesting point about Kindy!! There is a good one round here would hate for him not to go to that, i know its ages off yet.
Not heard of easy mind I will look them up.
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fire_engine
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Joined: 03 November 2007
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Posted: 08 January 2009 at 9:51am |
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Easymind iis only in some towns but they have a website.
I'm going through exactly the same thing - starting a new job in Feb which gave me 4 weeks to find someone/something. I decided on home based care because I wanted the 1:1. Most of the daycares near me have 25+ under 2's, and i just feel Daniel is too wee to be in such a large group. We've also noticed that he is much more content (and sleeps better) when he gets lots of 1:1 so that was important. I want to go with an organisation that will provide good monitoring - my concern with home based care is that if things aren't going well or if there is mistreatment or the carer is slack, it won't be picked up like it would be in a daycare centre with lots of staff. I also want an organisation that provides good support cos I'm sure it's not an easy job. Porse are about $6 an hour, Barnadoes $5.75. I have found some agencies that are $4.50 though it feels a bit criminal to pay such low rates!
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Mum to two wee boys
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Twinboys2b
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Joined: 03 December 2008
Location: Auckland
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Posted: 08 January 2009 at 11:13am |
I'm going through the same thing, was going to try (relunctantly) to go back to work after 1 year (Sept) but so far Childcare works out around 40,000 '  ' for 2 so not point in that. But in-home chilcare sounds more realistic, have the same worries as Flissty about mistreatment but I think you have to use your instincts about the carer. I'm amazed the hourly costs are so cheep, better not tell hubby that we can afford them so I don't have to go back to work!!
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3yr old gorgeous ID twin boys.
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FionaO
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Joined: 27 January 2008
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Posted: 08 January 2009 at 12:33pm |
How far ahead do you have to plan if you want to do barnardos or porse. Day care centres have waiting lists of over a year!!!!
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fire_engine
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Posted: 08 January 2009 at 12:38pm |
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I rang them on Monday, and most of the agencies have at least one, if not more carers with gaps in my local area. I was stressed about that too as I got the job on Christmas Eve and had 6 weeks to find somewhere! If you can be a bit flexible with locations it may help. In a way, it may be easier to find them closer to the time of going back to work - say you find someone now, she would need to either hold the place open till Sept (and not get any $ in the meantime) or take someone else till Sept (which is probably unlikely). Maybe give the agencies a ring and have a chat to them. Some of the agencies I spoke to, I got off the phone thinking "I really don't want to use you" - e.g one today who told me about a carer who is taking kids cos her (adult) children thinks she needs something to do. My kid is not someone's hobby.
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Mum to two wee boys
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bext1
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Joined: 03 September 2008
Location: Waimauku
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Posted: 08 January 2009 at 10:01pm |
I put Joel in to daycare at 6 months when I went back to work, and it was GREAT! he started doing things like crawling faster, because he was encouraged by what all the other children did. He also got into a fantastic sleep routine, and had his own little cot at the daycare centre. All i took was nappies/formula.
He was a daycare babe till he turned 5! and I would def recomend it.
On saying that, I am unsure what to do with the twins, the cost will be huge, but you can always apply for a Childcare subsidy through WINZ depending on what the income level of your family is, I know we can get that, it means you don't end up paying the earth.
I'd recommend checking out the workandincome.govt.nz site!!
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Child Care
