Perhaps you are relatively new to parenthood and the idea of sending your little one away from your comforting arms is perhaps a step too far. Before you know it, however, you will soon be sending your little one away to embark on their first educational experience, which we are all keen to ensure is a lifelong journey that will enrich their lives, and in turn, enrich the lives of others.

You are until no legal obligation to send your child to a nursery, but there are numerous advantages of deciding to do so compared to keeping them at home. These include the development of your child’s social skills and their overall confidence and can have highly positive effects later on in life.

If you decide not to send your little one to a nursery, then you are free to keep them at home, provided that you are able to afford an all-day childminder, which can obviously be very expensive if you require them to take care of your child for a whole day. This factor, along with the considerable cost of a private childminder, means that a nursery is usually the best choice for your child.

There are numerous different factors to consider when choosing a nursery for your child, of which location is usually the most important. This was a key consideration for myself when looking for a nursery in Hove for my own child and it should be at the top of your list as well. You need to decide whether or not it is more convenient to locate a nursery which is closer to your home or place of work.

While it can be tempting to simply the choose the nursery which is closest to you, it can be advantageous to seek out a nursery which possesses an outstanding OFSTED inspection report; you will be secure in the knowledge that your child is not only being properly cared for, but that they are receiving an incredibly high standard of education. Each report should include a list of reasons as to why a particular nursery achieved the rating it did. This enables you to decide whether these are aspects which influence your choice of nursery.

You also need to consider your own little one and what kind of nursery will be suitable for them. The aim of a nursery should be to improve your child’s personal development, confidence and their ability to interact well with other children. Visiting a nursery and getting a feel for the place will enable you to gauge whether or not it is suitable for your child. Remember, your child is at the forefront of your decision, and while a nursery may have an outstanding report, this does not necessarily mean that it is suitable for your child.

We are all aware that boundaries exist in order to keep your child say, but they differ from parent to parents and nursery to nursery. Some nurseries are stricter than others, but their policy will detail their policy regarding this, enabling you to make up your own mind as to whether or not it is the right choice for your child.