Becoming a parent is a profound transition. Whether you are expecting your first baby or preparing to welcome another child, the journey ahead is full of choices, emotions and new discoveries. One of the earliest decisions you will make is how you want your child to be cared for when you return to work or begin shaping your family’s rhythm.
This blog offers calm, practical support to help you explore your options, understand the landscape and begin planning childcare in a way that reflects your values, your hopes and your child’s future. So grab a cup of something warm and take your time. Make notes when searching for different settings to visit, even if they’re full, go and see them, because you never know what might happen in the future.
Beginning with trusted guidance
The NHS provides clear, reliable information for new and expectant parents, including what to expect in pregnancy, early development and the support available to families. Your midwife and health visitor are also key partners. They can help you understand your baby’s developmental needs, talk through any concerns and guide you towards local services and childcare options. Don’t forget to reflect on the power of your own childhood, what did you enjoy, what do you remember? Speak with your wider family about their choices and ask other local groups about their experiences.
For babies with emerging developmental needs or possible delays, your local SEND offer is the best starting point. You can find more information on our SEND children – Forest School For Life page, which explains the local pathways, support teams and early intervention services available to families.
SENIASS and other local SEND support groups can also offer advice, advocacy and guidance. These teams understand the emotional weight of early uncertainty and can help you navigate the system with clarity and confidence.
Understanding National Policy: Best Start for Life
As of 2026, the Government’s Best Start in Life – Best Start in Life programme is a national commitment to improving support for babies, children and families from conception through the ages. It focuses on strengthening family hubs, improving access to services, supporting infant mental health and ensuring that every child has the foundations they need to thrive.
For parents, this means clearer information, better coordinated support and more opportunities to make informed choices about childcare and early development.
Exploring Childcare options
Every family is different and every child is unique. Visiting a range of childcare settings helps you understand what feels right for your child and for you. Some families just want a safe place to leave their child that fits around their working hours, some want to create an adventure and some want something in between.
Childminders
Childminders offer small, home based environments with close relationships and flexible routines. Many spend time outdoors and provide mixed age experiences that feel warm and family centred. This option often suits families who value intimacy, continuity and a homely feel.
Forest School settings
Forest School sits between childminding and traditional nursery provision. It offers small group sizes, strong relationships and a nature based curriculum. Children spend extended time outdoors, developing resilience, curiosity, confidence and physical strength. Forest School settings provide rich sensory experiences, movement opportunities and a deep connection to the natural world. Families often choose Forest School because they value creativity, independence, life skills, emotional wellbeing and a childhood rooted in nature.
Traditional Nursery Settings
Traditional nurseries offer structured rooms, larger teams and a predictable rhythm. They often have specialist staff, a wide range of resources and clear routines. This option can suit families who prefer consistency, variety and a more formal environment.
Outdoor Nurseries
Outdoor nurseries provide nature based learning, physical movement, sensory exploration and opportunities for children to develop resilience and confidence. These settings often blend Forest School principles with early years pedagogy.
Montessori Settings
Montessori environments focus on independence, purposeful activity and calm spaces where children learn through self directed exploration. Families who value autonomy and gentle structure often find Montessori appealing.
Steiner Settings
Steiner settings emphasise creativity, imagination, rhythm and holistic development. They offer warm, sensory rich environments with a strong focus on storytelling, nature and gentle transitions.
Other Inspired Approaches
Reggio Emilia, Froebelian practice and Forest School influenced nurseries offer child led learning, creativity, agency and deep engagement with the environment. These settings often prioritise relationships, curiosity and community.
Your local authority will have a childcare list and your health visitor can help you navigate it. Visiting in person is essential. Notice how you feel when you walk in. Notice how the adults interact with children. Notice the atmosphere, the pace and the sense of belonging.
Understanding an Early Years Curriculum
Every registered childcare setting follows the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). This is statutory for children from birth to five. You can read the parent guide to the EYFS to understand what your child will be learning and how settings support development. We at Forest School for Life love Development Matters a non-statutory Guidance and the revised updated Birth to 5 framework.
The curriculum is what you want your children to learn with you and by the time they leave you. We say the curriculum is within each Child.
The EYFS is delivered differently in each setting. Some emphasise nature, some emphasise independence, some emphasise creativity or structure. Visiting helps you see how the curriculum comes alive in practice, everyone will deliver the same core 7 principles below.
Additional help and support (do you need a hand?)
Parenting is not meant to be done alone. There are many organisations that can support you.
- Home Start offers emotional and practical support for families with young children
- Your Local Authority provides contacts for early years teams, SEND support and family hubs
- Norfolk Safeguarding Partnership offers guidance on where to go for help if you are worried about a child or need support yourself https://norfolklscp.org.uk/parents-carers-the-community/where-to-go-to-get-help
These services and others, exist to walk alongside you, not to judge you.
Thinking about your values as Parents
Childcare is not only about the present. It is also about the childhood you want your child to experience and the young adult you hope they will become.
Ask yourselves:
- What kind of childhood do we want our child to have before formal education begins
- What experiences do we want them to remember
- What qualities do we hope they will carry into adulthood
- What do we want them to feel when they turn eighteen and look back on their early years
Mapping out these hopes helps you choose a setting that aligns with your values rather than reacting to pressures or convenience. It does not mean everything will unfold exactly as planned. Parenting is full of surprises. But having an end goal in mind can guide your decisions with intention and clarity.
Possible Values a new parent might hold…
Safety and emotional security A desire for their baby to feel held, comforted, protected and attuned to by warm, responsive adults.
Strong relationships Prioritising environments where adults genuinely know their child, understand their cues and build trusting, consistent connections.
Playfulness and joy Wanting their child to experience laughter, curiosity, wonder and a sense of delight in everyday moments.
Nature and movement Valuing fresh air, physical exploration, sensory experiences and opportunities to grow strong and confident in the natural world.
Kindness and empathy Hoping their child will learn to be gentle with themselves and others, to share, to listen and to develop compassion.
Creativity and imagination Choosing environments that nurture storytelling, art, music, pretend play and open ended exploration.
Independence and confidence Wanting their child to develop agency, problem solving skills and the belief that they can try things for themselves.
Community and belonging Valuing settings where children feel part of something bigger, where families are welcomed and where relationships matter.
Curiosity and a love of learning Hoping their child will grow up asking questions, exploring ideas and feeling excited about discovering the world.
Respect for childhood Believing that childhood should be slow, rich, meaningful and protected from unnecessary pressure.
Inclusivity and acceptance Wanting their child to grow up in environments that celebrate difference, support emerging needs and welcome every family.
Holistic development Seeing their child as a whole person, not just a learner, and valuing emotional, physical, social and cognitive growth equally.
Consistency and clear communication Prioritising settings that communicate openly, work in partnership and keep families informed and involved.
Future readiness Thinking ahead to the kind of young adult they hope their child will become, and choosing environments that nurture those qualities from the very beginning.
A suggestion of questions to ask when visiting a Nursery
1. How do you support babies and young children to feel safe, settled and emotionally secure Ask about key person relationships, comfort, settling in sessions, transitions and how staff respond to crying or distress.
2. What are your staff to child ratios and how do you ensure children receive individual attention Understanding ratios helps you see how much time adults can spend with each child and how well supported babies and toddlers will be throughout the day.
3. What does a typical day look like for children here Explore the rhythm, pace, outdoor time, free play, meals and rest.
4. How do you support children’s learning through the Early Years Foundation Stage Ask how the EYFS is woven into play, routines and the environment, and how they plan for individual needs.
5. How do you communicate with families Find out how often you will hear from staff, what information is shared, whether they use apps, conversations, photos or written updates, and how they involve parents in their child’s learning journey.
6. How do you support emerging SEND needs or developmental delays Ask about early identification, partnerships with families, referrals, adaptations and how they work with the local SEND offer.
7. What is your approach to outdoor play and physical development Explore how often children go outside, what outdoor spaces are available and how nature is used in learning.
8. Can you show me where children sleep, eat and have their care routines Ask to see the sleep spaces, nappy changing areas, bathrooms and dining arrangements. Notice cleanliness, calmness, privacy, safety and how staff support children during these intimate routines.
9. What qualifications, training and experience do your staff have, and can I spend time watching the children in the setting Observe the children closely. Notice whether they seem happy, engaged, curious and connected to the adults. Notice whether they look bored, unsettled or detached from the group. The atmosphere tells you as much as the qualifications.
10. What do you believe children need most in their early years This question reveals the setting’s values, ethos and philosophy. It helps you understand whether their approach aligns with your own hopes for your child.
These are just some ideas to take away, try to ask every setting similar questions so you can compare and contrast at home.
Being flexible and kind to yourself
No childcare journey is perfect. Families change, children grow, circumstances shift and sometimes plans need to be adapted. Flexibility is a strength. Kindness to yourself is essential. You are learning as you go and you are doing your best.
A personal reflection
In my own case, what mattered most was building strong foundations so that my children felt safe, held by attuned and playful adults who enabled them to remain curious and creative. I wanted them to have physical opportunities for movement in nature, to grow strong and resilient, to learn about the world, to develop kindness towards themselves and their community and to build tolerance and understanding of others. When they entered into traditional education they were ready to take on the world! Or at least they thought so 🙂 which was what mattered.
These values shaped my parenting and ultimately led me to develop Forest School for Life. It began as a vision for my own children and grew into a community space offering a different approach to childcare. A place where childhood is honoured, nature is central and relationships are the foundation.
Closing thoughts
Planning childcare is not simply a practical task. It is an act of love. It is a chance to imagine the childhood you want to offer and to choose environments that nurture your child’s whole self. Even now as my children are growing up I place the most value on the knowledge and experience of the staff and the enthusiasm of the management.
Take your time. Ask questions. Visit settings. Trust your instincts. And remember that you are building a journey, not just making a decision.
Sending you lots of positive vibes for your next adventure,
Victoria & Team
