One of the hardest jobs we face as parents, in my opinion, is to find suitable childcare. I was lucky that I was able to be a stay at home mum for a lot of years while my own children were small but for some, that isn’t an option. Then comes the difficult decision about what sort of childcare you want to use. This can be a minefield and depends on what sort of environment you want them to be in during the day, how flexible you need it to be, the location – is is better to have childcare near your home or where you work?
I must admit that I have experienced different types of childcare with all of mine over the years when I dipped in and out of temporary jobs. We have used childminders, full-time daycare, playgroups and luckily most of our experiences were positive and each worked for our needs at the time. But it can be a stressful time making the decision about childcare that is right for you. But the most important thing is that your child is looked after by someone you trust, someone recommended by others. That is where Childcare.co.uk come in.
Childcare.co.uk pretty much covers every childcare possibility. From the homepage, you have a dropdown list where you can choose from an extensive list (see the image below) of what you are looking for and then you add in your postcode and press search now. You can find childcare within a 5 – 10 mile distance from your postcode.
So whether you are looking for a babysitter or a childminder, a nursery or a nanny, you can find a list of local options in one single click. The website is super easy to navigate. For example, if you are looking for a childminder, you will be given a list of childminders within in a 5 mile radius. If that doesn’t give you too many options, change the radius to either 7 or 10 miles. You can then scroll down and you will be given a list of names and locations of childminders with photos, how long they have been registered on the website, how far away from you they are based and the number of ratings out of 5 they have.
You can click on the ‘view profile’ button to find out more information about them. In the profile, you find out lots more about them. At the top, you have their summary which tells you if they are Ofsted registered and other useful information such as DBS checks, whether they have a driving licence or a car, if they are first aid trained.
As you scroll down, you will find more information about them as a childcare provider; more information about them and the setting they are in, their experience, qualifications and a table which clearly shows their availability. There will also be information about their fees, the schools that they offer pick ups and drop offs to and there is an option for them to upload any key documents relating to the service they offer such as Ofsted, DBS or training certificates.
At the bottom of the page, you find reviews from other parents. This is a feature of the site that I really like. I am someone who doesn’t buy anything without checking out online reviews, so why not see what other parents think of the person or people that are going to look after your child. Parents are able to score the service out of five stars and most go on to write a review too. This is such an important part of the website and it was great to see how many reviews had been left for the different childcare service providers I looked at.
The other great feature of Childcare.co.uk is that you are able to contact the childcare providers directly via the site. You will need to register for a free account (there is also a paid for Gold account which offers more benefits) but this enables you to set up an account and message directly any providers that you are interested in. It is important to remember that Childcare.co.uk are an online advertising platform and they do not carry out checks themselves on members, so it is important that you make the necessary checks before making any commitments. Having said that, many of the childcare providers make it easier for you by providing copies of the necessary certificates online for you to see, which makes the process a lot easier.
Obviously, I am using the example of a childminder here to show how the website works but the process is similar for whatever childcare you are looking for but there is also information on local schools, out of school clubs, tutors or even babysitters. Some information does require you to be a member to access is such as information about schools.
Having visited the site for the first time to write this review, I can honestly say that I am really impressed with Childcare.co.uk. It is really easy to use and you can get a really good feel for the site before you even register. I love the fact that there is so much information for each childcare provider and that you can very quickly get an idea of whether that setting will work for you using the information provided. It is perfect for finding long term solutions but it is also perfect if you are looking for emergency or last-minute childcare too. If this is the case, you can register and create a profile detailing your needs and local childcare providers will be alerted to your needs immediately by email. With the uncertainty of Coronavirus, you never know what might happen and it is reassuring to know that Childcare.co.uk might be able to help.
It is easy to see why there are over 2 million people using Childcare.co.uk and why it is an award-winning website. I would have certainly used the site when my children were younger and I will definitely be recommending to any parents who are looking for childcare of any kind.
Disclaimer – this post is written in collaboration with Childcare.co.uk but all opinions are my own
