By Jenny Byrne, mother and former editor of a Parenting Magazine.

There are a number of different types of nursery:

• privately-owned and run nurseries which are often part of a chain,

• workplace nurseries - to get a place your employer will have either set it up or bought some places at another nursery for its employees,

• those which are council run for families in need or in crisis of some sort,

• community nurseries which are subsidised. You have to live in a specific catchment area and have a special need like a lone parenthood or low income.

Some take babies from as early as six weeks, but the majority are for children aged two to five.

Why choose a nursery

"You need to do a careful inspection before signing up, and ask to speak to at least two other parents whose children are already attending the centre."

Some parents choose nurseries over other forms of childcare because:
• there are plenty of carers and children around, so it's a very social and learning atmosphere,

• a nursery tends to be the least expensive option. Nursery charges vary in different areas but you can expect to pay between £80 to £200 for a full week,

• they're staffed by a trained team,

• meals are included,

• they're open all year round and geared to the needs of busy parents.

However there are also some limitations: the hours can be inflexible so check they suit you, and there may not be a suitable nursery in your area. Also, as the criteria most use for accepting children is first come first serve, you may find that if you want to put your child into a nursery when you start working again, you'll need to put their name on a list while pregnant as demand for places is high.

If this isn't possible, decide well in advance where you want to go and put your name down for several places, expecting to be turned down by one of them.

Variety of standards

Whilst the local authority has to inspect all nurseries every year for licence renewal, there's a surprising range in standards. Some nurseries are smart, light and well organised while others have little outdoor space for play, are scruffy and appear disorganised.

So you need to do a careful inspection before signing up, and ask to speak to at least two other parents whose children are already attending the centre.

What to look for

Here is a list of things to consider.

• Is the staff trained to at least NNEB or NVQ level 3 or 2? Are there any teachers? At least half the staff should have these qualifications.

• Do the children seem happy and how much one-on-one attention do they get?

• Does there seem to be enough staff to children? (see table below)

• Is the place clean, tidy and ordered, with a feeling of calm about it, or is there noise, mess and chaos?

• Is there adequate play area outside for the number of children enrolled? And does this area have shade for hot days?

• What sort of condition are all the toys and play equipment in?

• Are there staff and parent meetings?

• Are you allowed to just drop in from time to time?

• Are there rooms dedicated to specific functions ie: sleep, eating, and play?

• Does the nursery appoint a key worker so you can talk to a particular member of staff about your child?

How many staff to children?

For every member of staff there should be a set number of children, and local authorities set local figures based on the Children Act. This means there'll be variation in the rules but the following ratios will give you an idea of what to expect:

age of child	child:carer
under 2	3:1
over 2 & under 3	4:1
over 3 & under 5	8:1
over 5 & under 8	8:1

At least half the staff should be qualified. Students and volunteers can't be counted in these ratios.

How to find a nursery

The best place to start is your local authority. It has lists of nurseries in the area which it has inspected, and this will give you the details of the number of children which attend. Also check out noticeboards in your library and local newspaper, and ask your health visitor or other parents who can give you opinions on ones in your area.