The Working Mum's Guide to Childcare: How to Choose and Manage the Right Childcare for Your Child [Paperback]

'A thorough and practical guide...This book will give you all the vital information needed in order for you to make an educated decision.' www.mychild.co.uk.

It is probably true to say that childcare is one of the most stressful areas of modern parenthood. Choosing the right type of childcare and right child carer is therefore among one of the most important decisions you will probably have to make. It is vital to get it right. This book will equip you with the vital information needed in order for you to make an educated decision about the type of childcare you require to meet your own individual family's needs. But it doesn't stop there - it will also help to: - Ensure that the relationship between your child, the carer and yourself works well - Know what to expect from your carer in terms of play and educational activities - Know what to do when either your child or your carer is ill - Understand the childcare contract - Know what to do when things go wrong. Plus there are important questions to ask to help you choose the right childcare for your child.

One of the most important choices working parents are faced with today is finding suitable childcare. As an author and childcare practitioner for over 16 years I have witnessed the heartache and stress brought on by choosing childcare. Parents who are either ill informed or who have never searched for a childminder or nursery before are faced with what seems to be unsurmountable problems which make the return to work even harder.

Many parents choose a nursery on setting alone because they do not want to travel further than necessary others choose by price. However this is one of the most important decisions you will make and it has to be the right one! I have tried with this book, to outline the pros and cons for the common types of childcare and hopefully the book will encourage parents to look at the wider picture when choosing childcare for their children. You need to know what works for you. This book will help parents searching for childcare to know which questions to ask and what to look for when checking out suitable premises so that when you finally do make that all important decision your choice will be the right one.

The book will also help you with the business side of childcare such as understanding policies, contracts and what you can expect from the fee you pay.

ALLISON LEE has worked as a childcare practitioner for over fifteen years. She has written over ten books and distance learning courses, which she also tutors, regarding all aspects of child care. She lives in Yorkshire with her husband of and two teenage sons.