A guide to UK childcare for your relocating employees

If you're arriving in the UK with a partner and young child in tow, then understanding the local childcare options and deciding what's the best solution for work and family will be near the top of your priority list.

Here's what you need to know when relocating to the UK:

Nurseries in the UK

• There are some 12,000 nurseries in the UK. (Nurseries are what we in the UK call Daycare Centres or Group Childcare). The only way to find a good nursery is to do your own local research which can be difficult and time consuming. The best evidence of which is the best local nursery is always evidential - you really need to visit and ask what other local parents think and say
• All nurseries in the UK are regulated by Ofsted. It's a big, difficult to please regulator which oversees standards pretty well. It means some nurseries might be average but they will never be worse than that and every setting will provide a safe and secure environment. At the very least the staff will be trained; there will be strict procedures in place; and the nursery will be insured
• Young children need stability. "Continuity of attachments" is how childcare experts phrase it. Some nurseries are bright and spacious, others are more tired looking. Aside from decoration, the most important question to ask is always about the staff. If a nursery has lots of temporary staff then that's not a good sign. If the staff are loyal and the same people will be looking after your children every day then it's an excellent starting point. Check out the interaction between the staff and children to gauge how stimulated your child will be.

The Big Plus - nurseries are a great way for you and your children to meet other families.

The Big Minus - strict hours and very limited flexibility are restrictive and there are waiting lists at many of the best nurseries.

Costs expect to pay anything from £40 to £75 per day.

Nannies in the UK

• The UK is obviously home of the Norland Nanny (yes they still exist and still wear those uniforms). Nannies are unregulated and there is no strict definition of just how good or qualified a nanny needs to be. At My Family Care we describe a nanny as someone who is capable of being left in sole charge of your children. That means she or he (there are more and more male nannies) should have relevant experience; should be qualified; should have an up to date first aid certificate; and a CRB enhanced disclosure (meaning the police and officials have deemed him/her suitable to work with children – no criminal convictions or cautions)
• In reality a "nanny" can be used to describe anyone who helps you with the children from a 17 year old Au Pair, to the keen to learn Mother's Help and right up to Mary Poppins herself
• How do you find a nanny? Come to us (see below); use an agency (and expect to pay a fee of between £1,500 and £4,000); or do the hard yards yourself. In London, advertising on websites such as Gumtree or Nannyjob will mean you are inundated with potential candidates and CV's.

The Big Plus - it's absolutely the best and most flexible option providing you find the right person.

The Big Minus - the cost; it's very expensive. Hiring a nanny also doesn't make for an easy introduction to other families. Sometimes the perfect solution is to find another local family to share a nanny with - in which case NannyShare.co.uk is the best place to go.

The Costs - a nanny will expect to receive anything from £300 to £500 net per week. As you will become an employer you need to include tax and National Insurance contributions to your outgoings.

Childminders in the UK

Childminders are fairly unique to the UK. A childminder is someone who is also regulated by Ofsted (see above) to look after children in their own home. There are some 50,000 childminders in the UK and many of them are brilliant, dedicated childcarers who want to stay in childcare while they raise their own family.

Finding a good local childminder can be incredibly difficult. You can generally get a list of childminders from your local Family Information Service (every area in the UK has one of these) but thereafter you are on your own.

The Big Plus - it can be a very flexible option and is generally the cheapest of the solutions out there.

The Big Minus - taking your children to someone else's home can be a difficult emotional hurdle.

Costs - expect to pay anything from £4 to £8 per hour.

My Family Care helps families relocating to the UK

My Family Care specialises in helping relocating families understand and find the best and most suitable childcare for all family requirements. Our nationwide team of experts are on hand to do everything necessary to make sure the desired solution becomes a reality. That includes visiting nurseries; finding available childminders; and recruiting and interviewing nannies.

My Family Care works with many of the UK's leading employers such as Barclays, KPMG, IBM and P&G; a host of City firms and investment banks; and destination service providers such as Pricoa, IRM and Sterling.