Daycare Centers
There are many highly-regarded English-speaking daycares, crèches and pre-schools in Cape Town. These all received 5-star ratings on http://www.kiddicare.co.za, an informative site that allows parents to rate and review local childcare centers. Note that most pre-schools provide aftercare until 17:00. Despite the fact that these are mostly upmarket institutions, their fees are generally limited to a R1000 to R2000 per month price bracket, and have classes ranging from 20 to 25 infants, overseen by a teacher and an assistant.
Aquila Pre-School
2-6 Aquila Way
Ocean View
Call 021 783 1912
Barkly House Pre-Primary School
Harfield Road
Claremont
Call 021 671 9434
Blue Balloon Pre-School
15 Cassino Road
Plumstead
Call 021 706 3319
Arderne Gardens Pre-Primary School
222 Main Road
Claremont
Call 021 6717045
Apple Tree Montessori
1 Greenway Rd
Wetton
Call 021 704 1336
Kiddies College Pre-School and Aftercare
Collingwood Rd
Observatory Community Centre
Observatory
Call 021 976 1056
La Petit Pre-School and Joyland Baby Care Centre
7 Marivy Road
Sybrant Park
Call 021 696 4982
Aristokids Educare and Nursery School
7 Somerset Cres
Proteaville
Call 021 9762102 or visit http://www.rainbowkids.co.za/html/webpages/aristokids.htm
For the full listing from kiddiecare, visit: http://bit.ly/162Vcs
Nannies
It’s very common for families in Cape Town to have nannies, both live-in and part time. There are numerous caregiver agencies that help place au pairs and nannies with families. Such agencies typically offer:
- Temporary and permanent au pair placements
- Day/night nursing
- Transportation services to and from school or any other activity
- Supervision over extra-mural activities, homework, outings and other activities.
The child minders you’ll find through these agencies will usually possess the following qualifications:
- Certification in level one first-aid.
- A valid driver’s license.
- A minimum of 2 years experiencing caring for children.
They should also have been fully reference-checked, have their own cars and, in the case of night nurses, be registered as a medical nurse.
Rates
Full time nannies will typically call for a salary of between R3000 and R5000 a month, whereas half-day nannies command salaries of R1500 to R3000.
Au Pairs, on the other hand, charge either by the hour (entry level rates are between R45 and R65 an hour) or monthly. Monthly salaries for half-day work are generally between R3000 and R5000, whereas full-day salaries are between R5000 and R10 000.
Below are the details of some of the best-regarded local agencies.
Child Minders
Visit http://www.childminders.co.za or call 083 254 4683.
Au Pair SA
Visit http://www.aupairsa.co.za or e-mail info@aupairsa.co.za.
Au Pair at Home
Visit http://www.aupairathome.co.za or call 021 4610452 (City Bowl branch)
Handy Helpers
Visit http://www.handyhelpers.co.za/childcare.html or call 0861 435 737.
Sitters4u
Visit http://www.sitters4u.co.za/article/home or call 087 808 5357.
There are numerous ways of finding nannies without contacting an agency. These include:
- Advertising in Job Mail, the weekly classifieds newspaper. You can place a free ad at http://www.jobmail.co.za/place-free-advert
- Community message boards. These are situated near the entrances to most supermarkets.
- Word of mouth. Once you’ve made a few friends in Cape Town, ask around. This is the best way to find a good, trustworthy nanny without having to pay high agency fees.
