parents > choosing a nursery
choosing a nursery
hints and tips on why and how to choose a nursery, quality improvement & resolving nursery issues
why choose a nursery?
Studies have shown that children who attend nurseries are more confident as they have mixed with other children from an early age, and can also go on to do better at school. Nurseries should work hard to help your child have a great start in life through ‘key worker’ schemes where your child has one main carer, nutritious menus and many opportunities to learn new skills and understanding through play.
choosing a nursery
When looking for a nursery it is important to find one that suits your family and we strongly recommend that you visit a shortlist of nurseries to take a look at what is on offer before you make your final decision. NDNA has produced a downloadable factsheet outlining some of the key questions and points to check when visiting a nursery.
You will get a good idea which nursery is right for you from your visit, and it is important that both you and your child feel comfortable with your final choice. We recommend that you look for an NDNA member nursery and in particular one that is working towards, or has achieved, our e-Quality Counts/Quality Counts accreditation. Click here to find an NDNA member nursery in your area. Find out more about what being an NDNA member means.
When you are deciding which nursery to select it is important that you ask the nursery managers to clearly explain the contract you will need to sign. This will include all of your terms and conditions and payment information. Ask the manager to talk you through exactly what you will need to pay and whether bank holidays and training days are included in your fees or cost extra. Also, ask about any additional charges such as food, nappies, late collection fees and a registration fee. Gathering this type of information will mean that you can more easily compare the prices between nurseries.
affordable childcare
Find out what financial support is available to you by clicking here. quality improvement
NDNA provides a quality improvement scheme, e-Quality Counts, where nurseries can show their commitment for providing quality early years childcare even further. Nurseries that are doing this scheme illustrate their commitment to delivering a high quality service. e-Quality Counts is a voluntary scheme based on a set of rigorous standards that nurseries have to demonstrate they meet in order to receive the award, and shows that nurseries are working hard to constantly develop the care they offer. The award is at 3 levels with level 3 being the highest.
Ask your nursery if they have (or are working towards) e-Quality Counts.
resolving nursery issues
For information on resolving issues that you may have with your nursery, please click here.
