I need information on how to to get my child into a free nursery place starting in september?

Question

My child will be 2 1/2

Answer 1

Your child won't receive a government funded place until the term after they turn three. The best you can do at the moment is research the pre-schools in your area see which take children from a younger age and then get their name down on the list.

I own a pre-school and we have a very large waiting list with children who have had their name down from a few months after they were born. If we have any spaces then the children who have been on the list get priority over others. If your child is accepted into a pre-school then you would expect to pay between £4 & £9 per session obviously this varies greatly and depends on the type of pre-school you are putting your child into and what area you live in.

Get onto your local EYDCP and your local council or sure Start centre and they will point you in the right direction.

There is nothing wrong with sending your child to school at 2 1/2 as they will learn to socialise but I must say on the majority we take children in the term they are going to turn 3 so the parents don't have to pay for too long until they get their place.

Good luck and get your child's name down

Answer 2

I'm presuming you are in the Uk??

Find out about your local Nurseries, & what they have to offer, & put your Childs name down as soon as you can, waiting list for good Nurseries, especially local Authority ones, get full pretty quick, so I would advise not to waste any more time.
your local Childrens Information Service willl be a good place to start, they are usually attached to your Town Hall.....

also have a walk around, & have a look at what outside play space they have, if you find ones that look good, ring them & ask about "viewing days"

unless you are on a low income, or have a dissability, returning to colledge etc, your child wont be eligiable for any free place until they are 3, & that wont be full time
but you could well qualify for tax Credit help with paying Nursery fees, if you are returning to work, or Education, I think this is now usually about 80%, but I would check that figure with the Tax Credit people, or Citzens advice

Good Luck

Answer 3

If your child is 2 1/2, he needs to be home with you. I know daycare is what "everybody is doing" and they try to justify it by any means necessary, but if you look at the facts, daycare and preschool are the WORST places for children.

Here are some books you should read for starters:
http://www.daycaresdontcare.org/RecommendRead.htm

There was also a study done recently by Stanford? I think that shows children who attend preschool are lagging in social skills compared to children who are raised by parents.

As for "Early Childhood" - I went back to school before I had my daughter and got a degree in "Early Childhood". It is a complete joke. My dog could enroll at the state U and get a degree in EC. Most daycare workers don't even have a 4 year degree and are not qualified to do much more than wait tables at TGI Fridays. So, if you want to have your child parented by someone couldn't even get a job as a bank teller, go right ahead.

You only get one shot to be a parent. These years, once gone, will be gone forever. Don't put your child in a kennel like a dog.

Oh, and children do not learn any socialization skills in a daycare. Do you realize how ridiculous that sounds? A child is learning how to act from other 3 year olds instead of from her parents!!!! There is a plague going on in society today. It is called "peer interdependence disorder". Children and teenagers can not interact effectively with adults or even other children a few years older or younger. The children become dependent on their peers to determine how to dress, think, act. One reason for this is that so many children are sent into daycare environments that wrongly segregate children by age, then on to public schools which do the same thing.

Some children have parents who make sure their children are well socialized by being exposed to a variety of people in different walks of life and of different ages - THAT is the ONLY way to learn social skills. These children are better able to compensate for what they missed out on by being in daycare or by being in an age segregated school all day.

Answer 4

the only nursery placements that are free are through the sure start program and they can only offer you one day a week, if you are returning to work the government will pay for up to 85% of the cost depending on circumstances, other wise you will have to wait till the child is at least 4 for a free full time placement

Answer 5

I suggest that you check with the Department of Human resources in your area. You don't have to be poor in order to get help and if your looking for something that is free, then that means that you need assistance and I don't see why they wouldn't help you. It is hard when you are trying to provide for your family and it seems like its never enough. I hope that you find what you are looking for.

Answer 6

Your local council would be a start. The eduction department. Usually the early years department. But it depends on how your local council is set up.

Answer 7

hi do you work? if not my wife was doing a course in college and se had child care paid by the tax credit

Answer 8

Can't get free unless you show you are poor.

Answer 9

try calling your local free helpline every county has one or catholic charities organization (no u dont have to b catholic lol) they help too