Using Childcare

Practicalities Using Childcare The Options 

It is worth thinking through what your choices are before paying for something which doesn't work for you and/or you don't use.

Creches

For younger children (broadly those in nappies) you need somewhere where you can feel safe leaving them. The physical area needs to be well set up - lots of space out of the sun in hot climates for example, with areas where they can sleep if they want.

You might like to check what kind of activities are offered, what meals and equipment provided, and what provision for time spent both in and out of doors.

The best guarantee of quality is to use a reputable British operator. They will almost certainly abide by the UK guidelines on carer to child ratios and if the company has made the investment of setting up this kind of childcare system, it is likely to want it to continue, so will be doing its best to make sure the service is reasonable.

With slightly older toddlers, you need not only to feel that the child is safe with the carers but also feel happy that the child feels he or she can communicate well and is comfortable with the other children there. This can be a particular issue in creches run in non-British/English speaking resorts or hotels as well as resort creches, for example in ski centres.

You should check how far you can roam when your child is in care. Some creches only cater to children whose parents remain on the premises.

Note that if there is only a creche rather than a kids club an older child may well be bored by the entertainment and lack peers to play with. This can be a problem outside school holidays.

The adult carer to child ratios required by law in the UK for are:
1:3 for babies

There is no obligation on overseas hotels and resorts to adhere to these standards though British operators offering this kind of service generally report that they do.

Kids Clubs

For older children so offering a higher proportion of children to carers than a creche (so generally cheaper) and proportionately more activities and less quiet time. Language becomes increasingly important as children grow so it is particularly important to check that there won't be communication problems with carers or peers.

As with creches there is the point about what kinds of activities are offered, what equipment provided, what meals, and what provision for spending time in and out of doors. Carer to child ratios can get rather high in some resorts.

One point to beware is the age groups into which children are divided. Children at the upper end of a division may well find themselves bored if most of the others in the group are much younger. With a specialist operator you should be able to check the ages of those already booked in which would help with this. Note also that if divisions are too rigid siblings who would prefer to stay together may find themselves split up. Club Med for example is inflexible on this.

As with creches, there may be restrictions on parents' movement while the child is being cared for.

Note that if there is no provision mentioned for younger children you can assume that they are not catered for until safely out of nappies. Even then, the emphasis is more usually on slightly older children so unlikely to suit say under 4s.

The adult carer to child ratios required by law in the UK for are:
1:6 for toddlers
1:10 pre schoolers
1:15 school age children

As with creches there is no obligation on overseas hotels and resorts to adhere to these standards though British operators offering this kind of service generally report that they do. However, especially with bigger operators the offer of childcare of any kind is generally treated as more of a marketing tool than a service and in practice there may be lapses.

Note that a report by Holiday Which? in January 2002 highlighted on-going problems with holiday kids clubs. Inspectors for the Consumers' Association in Mallorca and Cyprus found that 'dedicated premises' were often makeshift conversions, sometimes with dangers like uncovered electric sockets' (particularly dangerous on the Continent because of the un-protected two-pin plug system). Reporters also found there were not always enough carers for the number of children, and that activities were often limited. If the club is run by the operator, you can complain - and of course post a report on the noticeboard to warn others of the problem.There are much more limited chances of redress when it comes to hotel-run clubs which, even if these detailed in an operator's brochure, are run locally. Even in five-star properties, stndards can sometimes be extraordinarily lacking. In one case they were without even a pencil sharpener to make the coloured crayons useable - let alone anything more sophisticated.

An Operator's Carer

If your children are gregarious enough to get on with any single carer provided, and you have the budget, the villas with single nannies, might be the option to go for (see Operators Offering Childcare) or some self-catering operators [Self-Catering] are able to arrange childcare.

Depending on what you and your children need, this might be more suitable than having to fit in with child club hours and activities. However, though this can be helpful, you need to consider what to do if the nanny and children don't hit it off.

Taking Your Own Carer

Some families prefer to take their own nanny/babysitter with them. This usually means less privacy and it can be complicated setting boundaries between work and relaxation in a holiday environment. Even those who can afford it often find that it did not provide the degree of relaxation they hoped.

If you do want to give this a go it is probably a good idea to define working hours and time off as well as details of pay well before you get on the holiday. You should also clarify whether or which meals will be eaten together and whether she will be joining the family on outings/evenings out.

It is worth bearing in mind that looking after children in an unfamiliar environment can be harder work than at home, with none of the usual fall-backs and potential homesickness to contend with. Some extra consideration, time off or perks would therefore be a good idea.

Privately Arranged Childcare

If you are at a small hotel and can see how well one of the staff gets on with your children, that may be good enough for your purposes. If you are using a more formal set-up, for example an agency recommended by your hotel, qualifications are a useful marker of the quality of what is being offered. You might also like to check out the carer in person, though this may only be possible too late in the day to be of much practical use. In more developed countries you could look at least for the qualification required to work in the local summer camps.

In the US the minimum requirement for those employed in creches is child first aid and two years' experience with children. In addition if the childcare is on dedicated premises these should be licensed, bonded and insured. Note also that privately employed babysitters in the US tend to be very young - say 16 years - and not really capable of looking after a baby, whatever the local custom.

In smaller centres in countries like Greece, Turkey, north African countries and further afield, carers tend to be found more informally. In many larger resort hotels you may well find people who are missing their own children and are only too happy to play with yours. A potential disadvantage is that the children may well get spoilt in these kind of environments, in particular being fed all kinds of sweets and treats you might prefer that they avoid.

However you arrange babysitting, always check if the price you are quoted for babysitting is per child or for all the children.

Just Other Children

Particularly once they reach an age when they can be relied on not to stray or do anything dangerous, children may not need carers if they don't need entertainment laid on. Self-catering properties with a single shared pool (common in Corsica and found also for example in Tuscany and increasingly elsewhere such as northern Portugal and mainland France) can be a good way for children to mingle with peers without all the club issues (though to a degree you will be bound to have some dealings with other parents - not ideal if your idea of a holiday is to be anti-social).

Sharing With Another Family

Thinking it Through is another way of providing company and possibly an exchange of childminding.