New nursery comparison service to launch
Katy Morton
Thursday, July 25, 2013
A new nursery comparison service for parents has been created by the former chairman of Treetops Nurseries Alan Proto.
The service, Youswitchnurseries.com, which will go live on 1 August, aims to help parents find the best nursery in their area based on Ofsted grades and the cost of fees.
Free to parents, the service, initially launching in the North West of England, is for those choosing a nursery for the first time or who already have their child in a nursery.
Through the website Youswitchnurseries.com and by calling a 0845 number, parents can compare the quality and cost of care at different nurseries.
Using parents’ location and the cost of fees at their child’s current setting, any nurseries rated outstanding or good with outstanding elements that offer value for money and have vacancies are flagged up in a search.
Parents can then arrange to visit a nursery through Youswitchnurseries.com.
Alan Proto told Nursery World that the idea is to eventually charge the nurseries where several parents have arranged a visit through Youswitchnurseries.com and subsequently registered at the setting, similar to a finder’s fee.
There are also plans to expand the service nationally before the end of the year.
Mr Proto said, ‘Choosing the right nursery for your child is one of the most important decisions parents will ever make, up there with buying a house or choosing your partner. Yet up until now, parents have not been able to access all of the information that might be helpful to them in making this vital decision.
‘The truth is for most parents whose children are already in childcare that there is a better nursery down the road. Parents aren’t being steered to the best and cheapest childcare.
‘I hope Youswitchnurseries.com will do the same for nurseries as the meerkats have done for car insurance.’
Free to parents, the service, initially launching in the North West of England, is for those choosing a nursery for the first time or who already have their child in a nursery.
Through the website Youswitchnurseries.com and by calling a 0845 number, parents can compare the quality and cost of care at different nurseries.
Using parents’ location and the cost of fees at their child’s current setting, any nurseries rated outstanding or good with outstanding elements that offer value for money and have vacancies are flagged up in a search.
Parents can then arrange to visit a nursery through Youswitchnurseries.com.
Alan Proto told Nursery World that the idea is to eventually charge the nurseries where several parents have arranged a visit through Youswitchnurseries.com and subsequently registered at the setting, similar to a finder’s fee.
There are also plans to expand the service nationally before the end of the year.
Mr Proto said, ‘Choosing the right nursery for your child is one of the most important decisions parents will ever make, up there with buying a house or choosing your partner. Yet up until now, parents have not been able to access all of the information that might be helpful to them in making this vital decision.
‘The truth is for most parents whose children are already in childcare that there is a better nursery down the road. Parents aren’t being steered to the best and cheapest childcare.
‘I hope Youswitchnurseries.com will do the same for nurseries as the meerkats have done for car insurance.’
