Are Nurseries in your area busy?

[Joda]

I was talking to a mum at school and her 6month old baby has just started at a day nursery 3 x days a week as she has returned to work. She was saying how quiet the nursery was compared to when her elder child attended 4 years ago. I know quite a few nurseries are starting to charge 'teachers rates' which means that they do not ask for a retainer in the school holidays.

I've always considered nurseries to be thriving so it was quite surprising that some nurseries are struggling too.

[JCrakers]

I think they are struggling here..they've dropped their prices to attract ...grr :angry:

One of the nurseries had the cheek to post a flyer through my door last week...dd asked what it was, I replied 'oh its just some rubbish' haha :D

[Mouse]

One local nursery is very popular and is always full, with a long waiting list. It's about the only one I would recommend anyone use.

There are a few others that are 'OK'. They wouldn't be your first choice, but they're not bad. They seem to be running under capacity, with a good number of spaces available. A friend went to visit one for her daughter & was surprised at how quiet it was, compared to the registered numbers. The room she visited had about a dozen children in it. She thought it was a lovely room for that many children, but was told that it could actually hold up to 25 children.

Then there are a couple of truely awful nurseries. They have a very fast turnover of children. They are cheap. Parents go along, sign their chidren up, then leave very quickly, moving to either a childminder or one of the other nurseries. They seem busy, but I do think it's a bit false as the children leave so quickly.

[Mollymop]

One of our nurseries (babies to 3 years) has closed as their are a shortage of children needing c/care in this area.

Pre-schools (3-5 year old children) always do really well and have waiting lists think it is because they get the NEF grant so most children attend.

[Daisy1956]

I always thought that the nurseries in my area were doing ok but a mum i know manage to get her child a place in one immediately and then because she didn't like it all her child was doing was painting) changed to another again with out having to wait for a place, so perhaps they are struggling as well.

[blue bear]

The good ones are very busy

[flowerpots]

Theres only one good one in my area, its nearly always full with a waiting list:), the rest seem quieter:rolleyes:. The childminders in the area are very busy, nearly all the childminders i know are full, most have assisstants. :D