15-09-2004, 09:29 PM
Quote:Originally posted by Venus
Hi Beanie! The cost of child care differs from area to area. The average cost of a child-minder in my area is £3.00 per hour. I don't think that an au pair is a good option with a small baby as you'd be placing all your trust for the welfare of your child in a complete stranger who has not needed to be trained, registered nor vetted by any official childcare organisation like Ofsted. I wouldn't choose this option for my child. But that's just my personal opinion.
I have to agree with you on this one - in fact it is sugested by most of the agencies that an Au pair is not given sole responsibility of a very young baby.
Child care tends to be betwwen £3-00 and £4-00 an hour though some child minders do charge less.
There are pitfalls with any child care arrangement but I think the most important is that you feel comfortable with the people looking after your child and the quality of care they can offer. A child minder may offer a more homely environment but a nursery may offer more structure and be more reliable.
Good luck with your quest.