Contact your local Social Services department for a list of local nurseries. They will all be there, with the exception of some nurseries that are attached to private schools, which do not need to be registered with Social Services. A good nursery should have a welcoming, friendly atmosphere and be known locally for its caring environment. When you visit the nursery, ask for the names and telephone numbers of some of their parents and get a feel of the place through them. Or you could drop in one afternoon and approach some other parents then.
First impressions are important.
Jane Crossfield is a mother of two from Windsor, and she has just found a place for her son, Ethan, in a local Montessori nursery. She says, 'The nursery will tell you their side, but it is important to listen to others, read the literature and have a look yourself. Talk to local parents and see if they have heard anything, either positive or negative, about a nursery that you are interested in. It is important for a nursery to be flexible, letting you pick up and drop off your child at different times, for example, but it should also have clearly established routines for everything from opening and closing times to dealing with emergencies. By checking that these procedures are in place, you can see that the nursery takes the responsibility of caring for your child seriously.