Choosing a nursery setting for your baby or toddler feels like a big step. If you’re returning to work it can also be an emotional time as your maternity leave is ending and your time with your little one is going to be reduced so finding the right setting for your little one is important.
So how do you go about finding a nursery that is right for you and your baby? What questions should you ask? How can you tell if they’re on your parenting wavelength?
Before you begin your search, it’s important to identify what you’re looking for in a nursery. Consider the following:
Location – logistics are an important consideration
Opening hours – do their timings work with your job
Budget – it’s a good idea to find out costs of a few settings to see what’s costs are like in your area
Philosophy – what is their ethos
It’s also a good idea to start thinking about nursery settings as early as possible as, depending on where you live, they may have a waiting list.
Ask for recommendations
Look at online reviews and ask other parents what their experience of locals settings are that you’re considering. Positive endorsement from other parents you know is a reliable way to get honest intel!
Make a shortlist
It’s always good to see a few nurseries rather than just one or two so that you can get a feel for them and do a bit of a comparison.
Arrange a visit
When you’re visiting settings have a list of questions you want answered (see our suggestions below). When you visit have a look at the facilities available, the space (indoor and outdoor) and the cleanliness of areas like the nappy change and toilet areas.
Don’t expect a nursery to be spotless – children are messy and in order to play and learn they will make a mess!
Observe how the staff interact with the children. If a child is being disciplined while you’re there do you agree with how they’re being spoken to and how the situation is being dealt with? Are the staff generally warm and welcoming? Do the children seem happy and at ease?
Ask Questions
Prepare a list of questions to ask during your visit so you don’t have to think on your feet. Some important ones we’d recommend asking are:
What is the settling in process?
For some children a couple of hour-long settling in sessions might be enough for them but others may need a longer gentler approach. Ask about the process and what they put in place for children who are struggling.
How much time will my child spend outside?
Some settings have set times when they take children outside and in others children have access to both indoor and outdoor spaces and can come and go as they please. If they don’t have constant access to the outdoor space ask how often and for how long children will go outside.
What are your views on praising and rewarding children?
It is believed that too much praise and rewarding children can actually have a negative effect and impact their intrinsic motivation. Read more about this here. If you are concerned about this it’s worth asking what their views are on this especially if you don’t like the use of sticker charts etc.
Ask what they to when children have undesirable behaviour too and how that is dealt with.
Naps and mealtimes
Ask the same routine you follow at home can be kept to while they’re in the setting. If you feed or rock your child to sleep ask how they’ll manage this at the setting. Ask if they leave children to cry when they’re due to have a nap.
Ask to see a sample menu of what food the children at the setting eat.
What are your views on potty training?
Even if you’re not at that stage yet it’s worth asking if they’ll be happy to continue whatever method you decide to do at home and how they will support your child during this phase.
Staff training and qualifications
You’ll find fully qualified teachers and people brand new to working within childcare settings so it’s worth asking how much experience and training the people who’d be looking after your child have.
Ask how many of their staff are first aid trained. Not everyone in the setting has to have first aid training but a mark of a great nursery is one that trains every single staff member.
Ask about their staff’s experience and training for children with additional needs and how needs are identified and supported.
Do the staff seem happy and settled? If the nursery treats their staff well and makes them feel valued they are going to feel happier and better equipped to look after your child.
Trust your instincts
You may get a feel about a place and it’s important to trust your instincts. Is something doesn’t feel right to you, keep looking. And if you start your child at a setting and you feel it isn’t right you can always move them.
This is probably more important than any question you could ask.
Good luck!