Obtaining a place in daycare is the headache for all parents. When to start registering your baby and how to go about it? Our advice to put all the chances on your side.
As soon as pregnancy arises the question ofobtaining a place in daycare. How are they allocated? When to register and how to put all the chances on your side? In what month of the year should you complete the paperwork so that the dates coincide with the end of maternity leave? Our advice to ensure you have a place for your unborn newborn.
To put all the chances on your side when applying for a place in a daycare, it is better to adopt a strategy that is clear, committed and followed over time. It is important to show that this childcare solution is essential to be able to return to workmaintain a stable social life and assume daily responsibilities, because motivation really weighs in the examination of files. Some parents do not hesitate to treat their application as a real professional file, by attaching a detailed cover letter explaining why daycare is the most suitable type of care for their situation and the well-being of their child.
Relationships also count: exchanges with the management of the crèche and municipal services can positively influence the image of the fileprovided you remain courteous, involved and pleasant during meetings or calls. Finally, perseverance is essential. The allocation committees meet once or several times a year depending on the city, but places may become available during the year, particularly in the event of a move. Regularly following up, traveling around, asking for news and finding out about the procedures for representing your file in committee allows you to remain visible and increase your chances of obtaining a place.
When should you register for a place in daycare?
To maximize your chances of obtaining a place in a nursery, registration must be anticipated very early, even if the timetable varies depending on the municipality. In many cities, pre-registration is possible from the 6th month of pregnancyor even as soon as the pregnancy is declared, which allows you to quickly report to the town hall and contact the Early Childhood service. In other municipalities, requests are grouped together at the start of the calendar year, often between January and March, before going to committee.
The request must then be confirmed after the birth of the child, by providing a birth certificate or act. Responses are generally communicated in the spring, most often between April and June, for entry into crèche planned for the start of the school year in September, even if adjustments may occur during the year when places become available. It is therefore essential to find out precisely from your town hall about the timetable, the documents to be provided and the registration procedures, which differ from one municipality to another, and to multiply pre-registrations in several establishments close to your home or place of work, at the municipal or departmental level.
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If you haven’t yet secured a place in daycare, don’t panic! There are other types of childcare and crèches which are not part of the town hall network, such as micro-crèches, association crèches, parental crèches or even inter-company crèches, which may be alternative solutions. This does not prevent you from resubmitting your file and trying your luck again.
