# Childcare/Creche Costs



## highly

Hi Everyone

Myself and my husband have a little boy who is almost 2. His creche fees are €940 pm in south dublin.

We are about to start trying for another child but it looks like I will most certainly have to give up work (I'm a teacher on a non casual contract - but full time hours - I net about €1050 a fortnight after total deductions) 

Basically, I was just wondering what other people are paying in terms of childcare costs. I know that in our creche, it's €1800 for 2 children between the baby room and the toddler room as my sister has children in those rooms.

What kind of costs are people paying now we're in recessionary times?

I know that there is a thread on this but it was last updated in 2008 and obviously things have changed since then. 

I am not completely against putting him with a childminder but I do worry about lack of stimulation and interaction with other kids - and the trust issue - and I feel that if he was to be in someone's house - I'd like it to be his own with me! But if anyone has any idea of costs for a childminder, i'd really appreciate it too. 

Thanks in advance

highly (broke!!)


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## Mynydd

I would have to pay € 2105 for 2 in a creche. As literature suggests that a childminder is best for the development of a child in his/her first 2 years, I used a childminder for € 180 per week (with regret). I recently enquired with the local childcare comittee (north-dublin) and they told me to insist not to pay more than € 400 per week for 2 kids with a childminder.


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## alaskaonline

My one started with 9 months in a Creche (Nursery part) and it cost me 981 Euro a month. When she turned two she went to the Creche part (2-3years old) and it cost me 776 Euro. Then she got another "upgrade" to the non-toddlers the pre-school part and it costs me now 545 Euro (incl. the ECCE scheme). We'll stay for another while as they also offer After School Care which is roughly the same as the pre-school fee. If I'd sent a sister or brother I would get a discount but it would still be still around 1400 Euro. We're north side of Dublin by the way.


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## gert

Very difficult decision, but my wife and I will have the same dilemma once we have the second child.  We have accepted that it's just stupid for her to work (she's on 27k p.a.).  I am on mid 50's.  If two kids were in the local creche, that would be her net pay.  Therefore we'd be poorer by about €400-€500 per month as we'd still have the same general living costs (like nappies/doctors/food/diesel...).  we have decided she'll quit work which is an awful kick in the teeth but that's life.   If someone has a better solution, we're all ears....


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## Mynydd

Au pair if you have the space --- Know your pain, we actually decided to only have one child, main reason child care costs but surprise surprise number 2 is on the way and did not want to end the pregnancy for financial reasons only. Will be losing my job next year so can stay home for a little while. 
Beside an au pair, other thing is maybe trying to work part time, find someone who does this to and mind each other's children for free. Or family member/good friend who could do a cheaper rate. Or try a community creche although I heard that they are not really cheaper anymore unless on SW.


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## Mar123

Hi Highly, I don't envy your decision. In making your decision, you should also factor in that if you ever wish to go back to teaching, if there is a gap of more than 26 weeks, you will become a new entrant again, and your salary will start again at the beginning, less 10%.


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## Delboy

have 1 baby attending a creche in Dub cc at around €700 per month (will have to double check that and confirm it). It's not the most modern of creches and not blessed with a lot of space, but it was perfect from a convenience point of view for work. So it means he spends less time in the creche as he gets dropped off just before 9 and picked up relatively early in the eve when work finishes. plus they are very flexible in the creche and 3 or 4 day weeks can be agreed at reduced cost with a bit of notice


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## Ali2008

have 1 boy (3) and another baby on the way. Have got quote for creche for 2 of them €270 per week, baby full time and 3 yr old part time due to government scheme for pre-school. Creche is Northside. Have got similar quote from another creche close by also.


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## Sar

I pay my childminder €5.50 per hour to mind my toddler. Number two on the way and if she takes both it will be €4 per hour each, so €8 per hour in total. I'm in Killinney/Shankill/Bray area.

Delighted with the level of care, my daughter started at nearly 8 months and I wanted her to have a home from home environment, with close to one on one care (childminder just takes my little girl and has her own daughter similar in age). 

Viewed lots of creches at the time and although some were very nice it wasn't the environment I wanted when my child was so young. I plan to move her to a creche when she's a bit older (closer to 3) and will benefit more from the extra stimulation and company as she's very sociable.

For me with one child there wasn't much difference in price between creche and childminder, but for two childminder is definitely  cheaper and will  make it just about viable for me to continue to work (which I have to do to pay mortgage).


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## tester1

There was an article in the health section of the Irish Indo recently recommending au pairs as a way of cutting costs. 
Dont know how that would suit you, but worth looking into. I think there are agrencies that you can do this through and I guess agency will supply qualifications.


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## Wahaay

Childcare is extremely expensive in Ireland but a friend of mine who runs a creche has some interesting insights into the business.

The biggest cost, as in any business, is staff and there are very strict guidelines enforced by regular unannounced inspections as to the ratio between children and staff.

However my friend complains that she is having to take on more staff over and above these ratios simply to keep up with the increased amount of bureaucracy being forced upon her by the HSE inspectors in their reports.

This increased bureaucracy has nothing to do with improving the standards of childcare ( there's all sorts of guff about noting down " behavioral patterns " and every time a child has a drink of water  ) and is not even part of current legislation.

But it does make the HSE inspectors look extremely efficient in their reports at a time when, guess what, the HSE is coming under pressure to reduce staff.


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## Wahaay

Further evidence of HSE bureaucracy gone mad from my friend who is a woman in her mid-50s and has been successfully running a creche for 25 years.

She is now being asked for the first time to provide two references from previous employers whom she last worked for three decades ago.

And despite having full Garda clearance the HSE inspector noticed on her last visit that on the clearance form where she detailed where she has lived since birth she had spent a year working as a student in America when she was 18.

She now has to get a police clearance form from the state in America where she worked over 35 years ago !

She's getting to the point where she's finally considering giving up and closing down a nursery that is a lifeline for many parents in the small community.


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## chappapa

*no any choice*

any choice better than you does !


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## mammyof2

highly, for 1800 a month (depending on the exact hours you need) you could probably employ a childminder at home, which would give you a lot more flexibility (for instance if the children were sick) and might also help in terms of the household/children logistics (for instance, getting the children's laundry sorted and maybe cooking in advance and freezing kids dinners for weekends). Standard rate of pay for an experienced childminder in the home is between €9 - 10 an hour. If total weekly pay is less than €356, most lilkely the childminder will be under the tax and PRSI ceiling, USC is manageable and your employer PRSI liability will be quite low (used to be 8.5% but I understand it was halved in the jobs budget).  I have gone this route since September and it is fantastic. The childminder brings my baby to toddler group three mornings a week so he gets loads of interaction and my older boy who is in JI can have his friends round for playdates after school and do after school activities.


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## Magpie

Ignore posters advising to get an au pair, who cannot provide fulltime childcare.


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## Complainer

Wahaay said:


> Further evidence of HSE bureaucracy gone mad from my friend who is a woman in her mid-50s and has been successfully running a creche for 25 years.
> 
> She is now being asked for the first time to provide two references from previous employers whom she last worked for three decades ago.
> 
> And despite having full Garda clearance the HSE inspector noticed on her last visit that on the clearance form where she detailed where she has lived since birth she had spent a year working as a student in America when she was 18.
> 
> She now has to get a police clearance form from the state in America where she worked over 35 years ago !
> 
> She's getting to the point where she's finally considering giving up and closing down a nursery that is a lifeline for many parents in the small community.


She should go through the formal HSE complaints process and then refer to the Ombudsman for nonsense like this.


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## highly

Just to update you all - well, against the odds I secured a full time teaching contract next year so I'm on a salary which is fantastic news. Only issue is we're now going to move to Meath as that's where the job is and it's too far to commute. As life tends to be famine or feast, I subsequently found out I'm due a baby in march! Delighted but massive changes - not too mention the fact I'll have to tell the principal sometime in sept - I feel like I'm showing already!! 

In the midst of this I've sorted a childminder in Enfield for my son for €500 a month. I haven't told her about baby 2 yet or even priced it as I'm too early but I'll have to cross that bridge when we come to it. 

Sometimes life just figures all of these things out for you - all I'm hoping for at the moment is a healthy happy pregnancy


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## AMM2011

Highly,Congrats and delighted you got sorted.I am in a similar situation ....Returning to work full time (Dublin) and looking at childcare for three very small childern.Creche fees would not really justify me working  .Looking at getting someone to come to my house and wondering what I should pay them .Would a flat monthly rate of €1500/month in to their hand be a reasonable ask? Want them to focus fully on the childern ie. no housework or meal prep required .I would have meals prepared and just expect them to heat and serve.Would pay the for holidays and hours would be 7.30am - 4.30pm.Any advice appreciated thanks.


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## der69737

*Childcare costs : Midlands*

Can anyone give an indication of childcare costs in the midlands -to mind two primary school kids in their own home , 5 days a week ?


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