Daycare or nanny for 1 YO baby

[NicoleLoh]

Hi,

I'll arrive Auckland in 1st Jan 12, temporarily stay in Ponsonby, just want to know whether it's possible to get half day daycare for my 1 year old baby before I find a permanent rental and job? won't mind paying for a private daycare, any recommendation?

Regards,
Nicole

[NicoleLoh]

Hi,

saw Sophie's recommendation of PORSE in another thread, may I know anyone used it before? It looks nice, but I have some reserve about in-home childcare\nanny especially someone I don't know as in some countries, it's norm that nanny will just leave babies to the TV most of the time, and occasionally you see news about careless nanny causes infant's death, sexual abuse by nanny's relatives etc. I understand those could be individual case and I need to talk to the nanny to find a suitable one, however, just want to know how the in-home childcare situation is like in NZ, hope someone can share... or anyone can recommend a nanny you have experience with. Thanks.

[JandM]

PORSE is a nationally accredited organization. People working under their aegis are checked and trained. Obviously you would want to meet whoever you might use to make sure there is a good social fit with your family, but you as a private person are unlikely to be any better able to vet nannies than PORSE are. What you're saying there is a bit as if you'd just reported a crime, and were saying, 'You're with the NZ police, you say? I expect that's very nice, but I've heard about police corruption in some places, so does somebody know a private investigator?'

[NicoleLoh]

PORSE is a nationally accredited organization. People working under their aegis are checked and trained. Obviously you would want to meet whoever you might use to make sure there is a good social fit with your family, but you as a private person are unlikely to be any better able to vet nannies than PORSE are. What you're saying there is a bit as if you'd just reported a crime, and were saying, 'You're with the NZ police, you say? I expect that's very nice, but I've heard about police corruption in some places, so does somebody know a private investigator?'

LOL ..I especially like the police part, JandM, thanks for that and forgive me for being over suspicious, knowing my baby is in good hands and safe is so important for me, only with that I can work with a peaceful mind, NZ is a new place for me, have to get some opinions from Kiwi like you to be sure.

[JandM]

No, not a Kiwi, but with some Kiwi family by my son's marriage.

[sophiedb]

Regards PORSE, definitely have a chat with someone at the local office. I was given a list of 10+ potential childminders to meet up with, to see if we clicked, liked their home etc, and I was almost at the end of the list when we met Ness. Funnily she's quite different to the childminder DD had in the UK and has far less experience as a childminder, but she's a great mum to her own kids and is doing well with the training PORSE gives her. We get feedback from her tutor too, who visits even the degree-qualified childminders to monitor and report back to parents. The end result for us is still the same: happy child, happy parents

Regards daycare centres, I know they have excellently trained ECE teachers on board and loads of lovely resources, but I am personally very happy that DD has been cared for primarily in a home environment while I work. The exploration and daily life experiences she gets there are more varied than most daycares will offer - trips to the library, the zoo, the farm, the mini-trains, and PORSE's own playmeets. She is benefitting from 2 days at preschool now, getting ready for primary school, but has all those years from 5-18? to be stuck in the same place all day. I see no reason to rush that if there's no need.

Best wishes in your search anyway

[NicoleLoh]

Regards PORSE, definitely have a chat with someone at the local office. I was given a list of 10+ potential childminders to meet up with, to see if we clicked, liked their home etc, and I was almost at the end of the list when we met Ness. Funnily she's quite different to the childminder DD had in the UK and has far less experience as a childminder, but she's a great mum to her own kids and is doing well with the training PORSE gives her. We get feedback from her tutor too, who visits even the degree-qualified childminders to monitor and report back to parents. The end result for us is still the same: happy child, happy parents

Regards daycare centres, I know they have excellently trained ECE teachers on board and loads of lovely resources, but I am personally very happy that DD has been cared for primarily in a home environment while I work. The exploration and daily life experiences she gets there are more varied than most daycares will offer - trips to the library, the zoo, the farm, the mini-trains, and PORSE's own playmeets. She is benefitting from 2 days at preschool now, getting ready for primary school, but has all those years from 5-18? to be stuck in the same place all day. I see no reason to rush that if there's no need.

Best wishes in your search anyway

Thank you so much Sophie, really really helpful your experiences, looks like PORSE is more suitable for us, will definitely visit PORSE and a few daycare centres once we are in Auckland, hopefully we can find something suitable for my gal soon.

[NicoleLoh]

No, not a Kiwi, but with some Kiwi family by my son's marriage.

i really can't tell the difference on u...

[gorstsmit]

Hi,

We contacted PORSE when we arrived in August - and although we didn't end up with one of their people it was only due to all available carers being a bit far away for us. They did seem like a great outfit of well organised and helpful people, also, I think they have a main office in Grey Lynn, near to Ponsonby so chances are they have some people nearby.

Our two ended up in a daycare centre near there as it happens and although we shared exactly the same sentiments about home based care as Sophie because that's what they were used to in the UK, I must say they're both as happy as larry there. I'd still have them with a childminder out of preference, but daycare is by no means a bad alternative in our experience.

Good luck!

[NicoleLoh]

Hi,

We contacted PORSE when we arrived in August - and although we didn't end up with one of their people it was only due to all available carers being a bit far away for us. They did seem like a great outfit of well organised and helpful people, also, I think they have a main office in Grey Lynn, near to Ponsonby so chances are they have some people nearby.

Our two ended up in a daycare centre near there as it happens and although we shared exactly the same sentiments about home based care as Sophie because that's what they were used to in the UK, I must say they're both as happy as larry there. I'd still have them with a childminder out of preference, but daycare is by no means a bad alternative in our experience.

Good luck!

Hi gorstsmit,

Thanks for the sharing, would you mind to share which daycare centre you're using? We haven't decided the area for permanent stay yet, I might be able to use it later.

Regards,
Nicole