The different childcare solutions available: making the best choice for your family

Babilou Family Luxembourg

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Which childcare solution to choose for your children is a thorny question for many families, especially for working parents. There are several types of childcare, each with its own functioning, advantages and disadvantages. We will explore the five most well-known options, how they are organized and what their price is: the at-home nanny, the childminder, the municipal nursery, the micro-nursery and the private nursery. This will make it easier for you to choose the type of care that best suits you based on your criteria and the needs of your child.

Home guards

The nanny at home

A live-in nanny – or babysitter – is someone employed to care for your children in your home. She can provide individual care and personalized support. Generally, home care:

  • brings and returns your child to school or daycare,
  • prepares his meals for him,
  • concocts activities to keep him busy,
  • prepares him for bed.

Prices for these types of services vary depending on the experience of the nanny, the location of your home and the number of children to be cared for. They are often higher than other custody solutions.

This type of personalized home care has several advantages:

  • The live-in nanny offers a high level of flexibility and personalization of care. 
  • Your children can stay in their familiar environment.

There are also some disadvantages: 

  • Costs are generally high.
  • Finding a nanny you trust and truly meets your needs can be difficult.
  • Being a parent-employer requires a lot of extra work and can be a source of stress due to the associated administrative burdens. 

The parental assistant

A parental assistant is a licensed professional who cares for several children up to the age of 12, day and night, in their own home.

Prices vary depending on location, experience and times chosen by parents.

Some parents choose this type of childcare for several reasons: 

  • Your children will benefit from a family environment and personalized attention. 
  • Childminders have a secure reception space provided for children within their home. 

But there are some disadvantages: 

  • Parental assistants do not have a lot of places available in their homes to accommodate children.
  • Although they are generally more affordable than a live-in nanny, the cost can still be significant for parents.

Guards in reception structures

The municipal nursery

Municipal nurserys are managed by local authorities and offer regular childcare for children from the same municipality.

The prices for a place in a public daycare center are calculated based on family income, which makes them affordable for many families.

The advantages of municipal nurserys are as follows: 

  • Municipal nurseries provide a safe educational and social environment for children. 
  • They are also a support network for parents, a place where they can get answers to their questions.

Public daycare centers have some disadvantages: 

  • As demand is very high, places are often rare,
  • Schedules may not meet the needs of full-time working parents.

The micro-nursery

Micro-nurseries are small childcare settings that provide a family-friendly environment and individualized attention.

Prices vary depending on the region and quality of services, but are generally quite significant.

Some choose micro-nursery because: 

  • They allow personalized monitoring, organize educational outings and offer activities adapted to the age of the children.
  • The number of children generally does not exceed 10 children per structure, so special attention is offered to each.

The disadvantages of the micro-nursery are as follows: 

  • Places are very limited since there are very few.
  • You often have to register well in advance to hope to get a place.

The private nursery

Private daycare centers are managed by private entities and offer high quality services.

Did you know ? Company and inter-company nurseries are private nurseries. The former are reserved for a single company while the latter are dedicated to several companies.

Some people think that the prices of a private nursery are higher than those of a public nursery, but this is not the case. Besides, you should know that nurseries KidsCare are eligible for aid, such as the reception service check.

Private nurserys KidsCare bring many benefits to families:

  • They offer a quality educational environment with structured programs.
  • Our teams are made up of qualified professionals and provide multilingual care - Luxembourgish, French and English.
  • We advocate unique and caring educational values ​​such as those of the pedagogies Montessori et Pikler.
  • We offer organic meals and fresh produce.
  • Our little extras? Minibuses for safe journeys and a dedicated application!

You would like to obtain a place in a day center or a nursery in Luxembourg ? Find a structure near you among a large selection of reception establishments on KidsCare. 

If you would like to visit our structures, come and meet us during the open days of our nurseries.

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