Clever Ways to Secure Childcare
In Australia, there is high demand for quality childcare, but we have five tips to help you secure a great place for your early learner.
BY HEJIRA CONVERY, KINDICARE
Although you may get lucky locking in a childcare place at a service you love, you do need to prepare yourself for the possibility that your favourite service won’t have a place with your child’s name on it.
Depending on where you live, the care you need, what you can pay, and other variables, you may find that childcare demand is high, availability low, and waitlists lonnnnnnng.
Now that we’ve gotten the grim realities out of the way, though, we’re happy to report that there are things you can do to improve your chance of finding a perfect childcare fit, even in a tight childcare market.
Proactivity, flexibility and relationship-building can all help, and if you’re already thinking about childcare, then now’s the perfect time to apply our top five tips!
1. Start your childcare search early.
At KindiCare, we recommend that you start looking at childcare from about 10 weeks into your pregnancy.
This may sound super early, especially if you’re grappling with morning sickness or just getting your mind around maternity leave, but a proactive childcare search does open up your options, especially if you’re looking for care in your baby’s first 12 months.
2. Add your name to multiple waitlists.
If you’re looking for childcare in a high demand suburb (or suburbs), we recommend that you get on several waiting lists as quickly as possible.
The earlier you jump on a waiting list, the sooner you’ll find yourself at the top of it, and as you get closer to your preferred start date, you may find that one list has moved much quicker than another, or that you have a couple of great places to choose from.
3. Be flexible when it comes to location.
This means comparing childcare options close to home and close to work, or perhaps close to study, and seeing whether any particular suburbs contain more great options than others.
When considering different locations, have a think about the childcare commute, as well as the centre itself.
KindiCare shows each centre’s location on a map, with a ‘How to Get There’ link, and you’ll find that there are different ways to navigate your childcare journey and you may even save some moolah by opening your mind to different areas.
4. Make the Centre Director your new best friend.
Great relationships take you far in life, and if you’re looking for a childcare spot at a certain centre, it can definitely help to form a positive relationship with the person running the place!
This will ensure that you’re top of mind when a space becomes available, and you can build rapport by introducing yourself in person, staying in touch with regular courtesy calls or emails, and asking them to keep you in the waitlist loop – in the nicest way possible.
It pays to be friendly with the Centre Director, because they know when children are transitioning between rooms, changing days, or moving to a new centre; and they can also give you intel about the length of the waiting list you’ve joined, whether it’s capped, and how long you might wait for a place to open up.
And, of course, let’s not forget the other centre staff.
You’ll do well to build rapport with everyone at your prospective centre, including the person looking after admin, and the people who will (hopefully!) be caring for your child.
5. Be flexible around days, if you can.
Sometimes, we have to settle a little before securing exactly what we want, and if you can’t get all the days you’d like, it may help to accept the days a centre can offer you, then cross your fingers that more (or more ideal) days become available.
This might mean switching your work around or sorting some informal childcare (hello grandparents), but if you’re in a high demand area, it might be better to get your foot in the door for some days, rather than holding out for your specific ones.
We hope these tips help a lot, and at KindiCare, we’re here to make your childcare journey as smooth and successful as possible.
The KindiCare app and website makes it easy to search for services in different areas, compare your options, and enquire with your favourites.
From there, you can organise a tour and apply for a place, and even if you don’t get lucky securing a spot straightaway, the above tips may help to cut your wait time or open up options you haven’t thought of yet.
