You asked

What is a crèche?

If you’re a working parent, then your child will probably need to attend crèche at some point. Crèche is another name for day care, and it’s usually a facility that operates from early in the morning (sometimes as early as 7 a.m.) to late in the evening (usually around 6:30 p.m.).

Crèches may incorporate other types of education, such as Montessori classes, but generally, they offer structured educational care for children aged from around four months, until at least school going age. Many also offer after school care for older children too.

In a crèche environment, children will be divided into classes based on age, with each one having a teacher (or teachers) and several assistants, depending on the number of children. Each of these rooms or classes will have their own eating, sleeping, learning and play routines and processes.

Most crèches offer children breakfast, snacks and lunches, and some may even offer a drop and collect service. Many also offer part time care options for children who only need to be looked after for five hours or less each day. They are also open all year round, so parents who work needn’t worry that they won’t have someone to care for their children over school holidays.

More questions

For many parents, child minders are the best child care option. Use this list to find out whether you’ve found the right one.
Finding quality childcare isn’t always easy, but it is possible if you know what to look for.
How your baby is looked after in childcare can have a long lasting impact on development, so it’s important to make informed choices.
Play is the single most important learning tool that young children have at their disposal.
Choosing the right child care is important to your child’s development – now and in future. Fortunately, there are some clear signs that the childcare you are considering is a good one.
The so called ‘formative’ years truly are one of the most important periods in any child’s development, and it’s important that parents and caregivers facilitate learning during this time.
Helping your child to learn during the early years sets him or her up for a lifetime of successful learning.
If you’re looking at several sessional preschools, and cannot come to a decision on a particular one, then looking at our checklist can help.
A play school or play group is a great choice if you want to prepare your child for formal schooling, and don’t need to have full day care.
A crèche is one of the better known child care options that offers full day services to a wide range of ages.

Latest

Trending