9 month old in full time nursery

summerday

I really want sure what to do about childcare for my 8 month old when I returned to work part time. I came across a book called 'raising babies:should under 3s go to nursery?' by Steve Biddulph, think he is a child psychologist who looked at worldwide survey results in an unbiased way.
Basically, reading that made me decide to put my daughter with a childminder until she is older (3 or 2 and a half at least). It convinced me that a formal nursery setting is not the best place for babies, regardless of how amazing the facilities or Ofsted ratings are. I would really recommend you read it to help make a decision.
Sorry if this post upsets anyone. I'm not saying nurseries are 'bad', just that after reading all the research that's been done, I don't think they're the best place for babies. I think they're brilliant for preschoolers from age 3 though, to help them socialise.

sweaty_betty

summerday wrote: »

I really want sure what to do about childcare for my 8 month old when I returned to work part time. I came across a book called 'raising babies:should under 3s go to nursery?' by Steve Biddulph, think he is a child psychologist who looked at worldwide survey results in an unbiased way.
Basically, reading that made me decide to put my daughter with a childminder until she is older (3 or 2 and a half at least). It convinced me that a formal nursery setting is not the best place for babies, regardless of how amazing the facilities or Ofsted ratings are. I would really recommend you read it to help make a decision.
Sorry if this post upsets anyone. I'm not saying nurseries are 'bad', just that after reading all the research that's been done, I don't think they're the best place for babies. I think they're brilliant for preschoolers from age 3 though, to help them socialise.

It must be nice to have a choice. I don't. Ah well, I'll have to come to terms with psychologically damaging my child(ren) and their development.

Tenyearstogo

summerday wrote: »

I really want sure what to do about childcare for my 8 month old when I returned to work part time. I came across a book called 'raising babies:should under 3s go to nursery?' by Steve Biddulph, think he is a child psychologist who looked at worldwide survey results in an unbiased way.
Basically, reading that made me decide to put my daughter with a childminder until she is older (3 or 2 and a half at least). It convinced me that a formal nursery setting is not the best place for babies, regardless of how amazing the facilities or Ofsted ratings are. I would really recommend you read it to help make a decision.
Sorry if this post upsets anyone. I'm not saying nurseries are 'bad', just that after reading all the research that's been done, I don't think they're the best place for babies. I think they're brilliant for preschoolers from age 3 though, to help them socialise.

Reading a book isn't reading the research. It's reading the authors interpretation of selected research to confirm his point.

He's probably planning other books in the series called " should under 3's go to a childminder/stay with mum/stay with dad/stay with grandparents"

Tenyearstogo

My eldest went to nursery from 12 weeks old. We only had 18 weeks maternity in 1998. He changed to a childminder and preschool at 4 years old. She was lovely.

My youngest went to a childminder from 9 months. Didn't last long. She said he never settled for her but I don't think it was that. He went to a nursery then.

Both boys changed nurseries after they turned 2 as the ones they went to as babies weren't right for them as toddlers.

OP, just remember that no decision is final.

an9i77

I've not really got an opinion either way but found this quite interesting article from the guardian:

One of the longest and most detailed studies of UK childcare has concluded that young children who are looked after by their mothers do significantly better in developmental tests than those cared for in nurseries, by childminders or relatives.
The study on children from birth to three will reignite the controversy over the best way to bring up young children. It found babies and toddlers fared worst when they were given group nursery care. Those cared for by friends or grandparents or other relatives did a little better while those looked after by nannies or childminders were rated second only to those cared for by mothers.
According to Penelope Leach, a leading British childcare expert and one of the study's authors, the social and emotional development of children cared for by someone other than their mother 'is definitely less good'.
Such children tend to show higher levels of aggression or are inclined to become more withdrawn, compliant and sad. Tests included the ability to do a series of set tasks and the level of eye-contact maintained with adults.
Leach will outline details of the study's findings tomorrow at a conference organised by the National Childminding Association, of which she is president. 'The study does not mean every child in a large nursery will become a monster,' she said. 'Nevertheless, it shows a small but significant difference in a large group of children.'
Although the report will be leapt on by those who believe that mothers should stay at home after childbirth, others point out that it is often the quality of care outside the home which is at issue. Leach insisted her findings should not be interpreted as a demand that mothers stay at home. Instead, she described it is as supporting a demand for 'developmentally appropriate high quality childcare'.
The study, by researchers led by Leach and colleagues Kathy Sylva and Alan Stein, began in 1998 and involved 1,200 children and their families from north London and Oxfordshire. Mothers were interviewed when their babies were three months old and again when they were 10, 18, 36 and 51 months.
Roughly half of the women taking part looked after their children full-time. A third returned to work before their babies were seven months old. About 8 per cent - mostly professional workers - returned to work when their babies were three months old.
Underpinning much of the problem revealed in the study was the discovery that most mothers leave organising childcare to the last minute before returning to work. This can have worrying consequences, concluded Leach.
She described the numbers of mothers not taking up references for child carers as 'staggering' and added 'there were mothers happy to leave a baby with an au pair, after one phone call conducted through an interpreter'.
'Mothers also often wanted their own mother as the carer because they say "she's family, she loves the baby",' she said. 'But love doesn't necessarily produce the best childcare. That takes planning and thinking about the child and his or her activities.'
In addition, as part of their survey, Leach and her team observed nurseries in both areas. What they found raises further questions about the quality of care, she said.
'For example, a ratio of one member of staff to three toddlers may mean ... one employee on a break and another preparing lunch. This leaves one adult trying to cope with a large group of toddlers. And we are not talking about one bad nursery but a pattern across the country.'
By contrast, a childminder will have a maximum of three children under five in his or her care. Gill Haynes, of the National Childminders' Association, argued that the highly responsive care that the very young require is better delivered by childminders who are, often mature, have 'life skills' and are parents themselves. They also often provide one-to-one care which is thought to be better for children.
Responding to the study, nursery leaders defended their reputation. Purnima Tanuku, chief executive of National Day Nurseries' Association, said: 'Day nurseries provide an ideal environment for the care and education of children up to the age of five. And 78 per cent of working mothers say a nursery is their 'ideal childcare.'
Leach said the study indicates that not all babies and toddlers do well at home. Children of mothers suffering depression or having other priorities than motherhood fared better with childminders and nurseries. 'Mummy care isn't necessarily the gold standard,' said Leach.
The study will add to concerns of childcare organisations who believe the government's plans to provide 'wraparound' care for all children from birth to age 14 fails to acknowledge the very different needs of infants to age three.
The UK has more than 450,000 children under three in nursery care and the study reinforces the demand for a vastly increased investment in training and salaries.
'In terms of the happiness and wellbeing of our children, we are at a crossroads,' Leach warned. 'Are we going to achieve the highest quality care from the most appropriate person for the child?
Or are we to settle for what government thinks it can afford? At present ... the government is trying to do five times as much on only twice the money - and the danger is that children and their parents will suffer as a result.

lilymay1

sweaty_betty wrote: »

It must be nice to have a choice. I don't. Ah well, I'll have to come to terms with psychologically damaging my child(ren) and their development.

This made me laugh out loud. Couldn't agree with you more SB :T We can all be bad working parents together.

lindsaygalaxy

Would your work let you do more hours per day, but fit the hours into say 4 and a half days? Or could you afford to cut it down to 4 days.

pinknfluffy0

an9i77 wrote: »

I've not really got an opinion either way but found this quite interesting article from the guardian:

One of the longest and most detailed studies of UK childcare has concluded that young children who are looked after by their mothers do significantly better in developmental tests than those cared for in nurseries, by childminders or relatives.
The study on children from birth to three will reignite the controversy over the best way to bring up young children. It found babies and toddlers fared worst when they were given group nursery care. Those cared for by friends or grandparents or other relatives did a little better while those looked after by nannies or childminders were rated second only to those cared for by mothers.
According to Penelope Leach, a leading British childcare expert and one of the study's authors, the social and emotional development of children cared for by someone other than their mother 'is definitely less good'.
Such children tend to show higher levels of aggression or are inclined to become more withdrawn, compliant and sad. Tests included the ability to do a series of set tasks and the level of eye-contact maintained with adults.
Leach will outline details of the study's findings tomorrow at a conference organised by the National Childminding Association, of which she is president. 'The study does not mean every child in a large nursery will become a monster,' she said. 'Nevertheless, it shows a small but significant difference in a large group of children.'
Although the report will be leapt on by those who believe that mothers should stay at home after childbirth, others point out that it is often the quality of care outside the home which is at issue. Leach insisted her findings should not be interpreted as a demand that mothers stay at home. Instead, she described it is as supporting a demand for 'developmentally appropriate high quality childcare'.
The study, by researchers led by Leach and colleagues Kathy Sylva and Alan Stein, began in 1998 and involved 1,200 children and their families from north London and Oxfordshire. Mothers were interviewed when their babies were three months old and again when they were 10, 18, 36 and 51 months.
Roughly half of the women taking part looked after their children full-time. A third returned to work before their babies were seven months old. About 8 per cent - mostly professional workers - returned to work when their babies were three months old.
Underpinning much of the problem revealed in the study was the discovery that most mothers leave organising childcare to the last minute before returning to work. This can have worrying consequences, concluded Leach.
She described the numbers of mothers not taking up references for child carers as 'staggering' and added 'there were mothers happy to leave a baby with an au pair, after one phone call conducted through an interpreter'.
'Mothers also often wanted their own mother as the carer because they say "she's family, she loves the baby",' she said. 'But love doesn't necessarily produce the best childcare. That takes planning and thinking about the child and his or her activities.'
In addition, as part of their survey, Leach and her team observed nurseries in both areas. What they found raises further questions about the quality of care, she said.
'For example, a ratio of one member of staff to three toddlers may mean ... one employee on a break and another preparing lunch. This leaves one adult trying to cope with a large group of toddlers. And we are not talking about one bad nursery but a pattern across the country.'
By contrast, a childminder will have a maximum of three children under five in his or her care. Gill Haynes, of the National Childminders' Association, argued that the highly responsive care that the very young require is better delivered by childminders who are, often mature, have 'life skills' and are parents themselves. They also often provide one-to-one care which is thought to be better for children.
Responding to the study, nursery leaders defended their reputation. Purnima Tanuku, chief executive of National Day Nurseries' Association, said: 'Day nurseries provide an ideal environment for the care and education of children up to the age of five. And 78 per cent of working mothers say a nursery is their 'ideal childcare.'
Leach said the study indicates that not all babies and toddlers do well at home. Children of mothers suffering depression or having other priorities than motherhood fared better with childminders and nurseries. 'Mummy care isn't necessarily the gold standard,' said Leach.
The study will add to concerns of childcare organisations who believe the government's plans to provide 'wraparound' care for all children from birth to age 14 fails to acknowledge the very different needs of infants to age three.
The UK has more than 450,000 children under three in nursery care and the study reinforces the demand for a vastly increased investment in training and salaries.
'In terms of the happiness and wellbeing of our children, we are at a crossroads,' Leach warned. 'Are we going to achieve the highest quality care from the most appropriate person for the child?
Or are we to settle for what government thinks it can afford? At present ... the government is trying to do five times as much on only twice the money - and the danger is that children and their parents will suffer as a result.

What about fathers caring for the children? X

an9i77

pinknfluffy0 wrote: »

What about fathers caring for the children? X

That's a very good point, it really annoys me when things like this assume that the only parent that can care for the chlid full time is a mother. My partner has cared full time for our child the past two years (he's only stopping as I'm finishing work to have another baby) and it really works for us, as he much prefers that role whereas I prefer to have a job and get bored stuck at home all day. Everywhere you go though you see this stereotype eg mothercare shop, mother and baby magazine, mum's gone to iceland and my personal pet hate, mother and child parking spaces at the shops (not all of them but some)! So can my partner not park there if he's out with the little one too?

We will never get sexual equality in the workplace until we have it at home (and in supermarket car parks) first!

bylromarha

dizziblonde wrote: »

I used to teach reception and I never could. Some kids transitioned easier than others - but I never did find a correlation between their childcare arrangements prior to this. You could tell some things without looking at files - generally summer/autumn birthdays - but never that.

Personally if I had to go back to work (economically it makes no sense for me to do so) - I would be looking at childminders instead of nurseries - I just don't like some of what I've seen from our local ones and I think we put kids into too large, too formal settings too young in this country. That's just my personal view though.

Just an aside, I once had a mum ask me in capacity as Reception teacher if I could tell which ones had been breast fed - she was trying to imply it was the clever ones.

Gotta love MSE and all the pre conceived ideas people have...

I went for childminder for my kids for exactly the same reason - wanted a home environment rather than nursery feel.