macslass

We have just received our visas (in 5 days - I'm amazed!!!) and are planning on moving to the North shore in Auckland in the spring. We're coming on a talent visa for my husband but I plan on working in a few months of arrival (for my sanity and to afford life). It's likely, due to the nature of my work, that I'll be based in the CBD.

I've googled a few private nurseries and I see they close at 5pm or 5.30pm. Tell me if I'm overthinking this but in the UK they all close at 6pm which is enough time for me to leave at 5pm and pick up from the after school club and then the nursery (I have very young kids) all by 6pm. I'm a bit worried how this will work in NZ though. If I have to work till 5pm in the CBD I'm not going to be able to make it back to the north shore to pick up by 5.30pm. How do women in NZ manage this? Are employers flexible and allow 8.30-4.30pm for example.

Also after school clubs - do these happen?

chippy64

These do 7am to 6pm http://www.lollipopseducare.co.nz/LO...D+CENTRAL.html

An alternative may be a company that provide a 'nanny' who can have children in your or their home. Someone like this http://www.poppetts.com/ ?

UKNZAUS

I am a teacher living and working on the North Shore, most private places close around 5.30-6pm whereas public kindy/childcare centers close at 3pm'ish.

Whereabouts are you looking at settling on the Shore? I may be able to help you with recommendations as there are some 'undesirable' ones out there.

macslass

I'm definitely looking for free school which sounds like the finish at 3pm ones. I was hoping for devonport/belmont area to be close to the ferries although I know this is not cheap - any further up and I doubt I'll be able to swish all the picks up in.

Seems like I have to find out which schools operate an pre/after school club and then pick and try and find rental round that.

UKNZAUS

The public kindergartens all have waiting lists, you may be lucky and find one that can accommodate you. They normally open at 8.45am and finish around 3-3.15pm. These are sessional, meaning your children either go in for the morning or afternoon. There are some that do have full-days but as you're only 'allowed' 20 free hours, you can only normally get 2-3 full days each week. Also the 20 'free' hours does not cover the whole fee for early childhood education, so do be aware that you will be required to top-up these payments even if you only use the 20 free hours!

Schools are zoned on the Shore, meaning you have to live within a certain distance from the school to enroll your kids. What you would need to do first is look for the school, then try and find a house in that area, then look for childcare. You have to have a tenancy agreement to prove you're living 'in zone' before you can enroll your kids into schools. Be warned though that for the really good schools, you'll find rentals are few and far between and rents can be quite high!

Hope this helps a little!

janeyk

I live in torbay and 5.30 is the after school club deadline I have left at 4.45 and made it, I have also found both employers I have had in NZ to be very family freindly and flexible. The worst time for child cover is schoool hols as the playschemes often start later and finish earlier! However I have managed to work around this by choosing schemes neaer work and bringing DS in before taking him!

janeyk

lots of schools offer pre and after school clubs and certainly the nurseries in Torbay operate to 5.30pm
My son starts interediate this year and there is no pre school although they are allowed on site at 8am and after school finishes at 6pm
we split the role so OH oes the drop offs as he has to be in for 9am (CBD) which he drops of at 8am and I pick up leaving 4 ish i go early to make up my hours and avoid the rush hour leaving at 6.30am getting to my desk at 7!
I have other friends who live on the gulf peninsula with small kids working in the city full time that manage it.
As I said before most employers are flexible, I have even known sick kids been brought into work sat in the corner of the office and given filing to do rather than the parent take leave!