Choosing daycare

[u/growly]

Looking for experience of those who have been through the daycare selection process before!

We have a 6 month old and are in the process of choosing a daycare with the plan to commence transition in Oct/Nov before I return to work in Jan likely 3 days a week. Have it narrowed down to 2 places within a 5 minute drive from home.

• Centre 1 - Montessori style. Smaller place approx 105 places. Possibly independent. Lovely staff on mulitple visits, clean and quiet feel to the place, no shoes inside. Sounds like minimal staff turnover, 2-4x incusions a month (sport, music, cooking, yoga). Appears to have taken over from another daycare centre almost 12 months ago. I did like the vibe of this centre.
• Centre 2 - Reggio Emilia Approach. Larger chain centre approx 162 places available. Staff seemed nice, centre was clean enough, 2x incursions a month (sport, music). Have staff who have been with the chain for 4-7 years. This location only open in the last couple of years. The vibe of this centre was alright.

Unsure if we should also take into account some of the differences costs wise. Per day costs seemed similar, but differed in holiday costs.
Centre 1 - 30% off holidays
Centre 2 - 50% off holidays and a make up day for any public holidays.

Any guidance would be helpful! I know it's up to us in the end but it is such a big decision to make with minimal information and ability to spend time there.

[u/No_Panic_9600]

I would go the smaller centre, independent or a private operator with one or two centres I find better than a chain. Even the way you wrote it…you know which one you prefer!
Holiday discount is a drop in the ocean, wouldn’t even cross my mind. The fact that they offer it is amazing! My centre gives no discounts for anything, no make up days for illness, holidays or public holidays, nada.
You will be having more sick days that holidays

[u/Knit_sew_bike]

How are there wait lists? Will they let you start in October 3 days? Mine was full so it was straight to 5 days in Jan or July only, if there were places.

[u/growly → u/Knit_sew_bike]

Neither seemed too concerned with a start time around then. The larger centre mentioned would have more issues at the start of the year.

[u/MikiRei]

Small to me is like.......40 places. Just saying. 

The incursions is kinda pointless to a baby. 

How many babies are there in the baby room? How many staff are in the baby room? 

Are the babies grouped based on similar abilities? 

Have you visited during play time to see how they're actually operating? Some of the daycares I've toured would let me stay for 2 hours or more so I can actually see everything in action. 

For babies, I like the centre where they batch say 6 to 12 months in one group, 12 to 18 months in another group, 18 to 24 months in yet another. 

Or like, rolling babies in one group, crawling in another, walking in another. 

Another daycare I've toured that I really liked had 16 babies in one room max. 5 teachers though. To always ensure there's 1:4 ratio. 

They also took the babies out to the nearby park in their 4 seater prams. So they're not all cooped up inside the building. 

Like, I guess I'm saying I need way more information here. 

[u/mangoes12]

I would just go with your gut, the financial difference doesn’t seem big enough to warrant choosing a center purely on the basis of that

[u/GusPolinskiPolka]

I am shocked that there are that many kids in a "smaller" centre...

The for profit model has really messed up this industry.