Sending My Baby to Infant Care Centre (IFC)

February 17, 2024 Cherish Motherhood 0 Comments

I've enrolled my baby in an Infant Care Centre (IFC) since she was almost 4 months old. As someone who grew up in another country, I am completely new to the process of registering my baby for an infant care centre in Singapore. With this in mind, I'm crafting a blog post to share my experiences and insights, hoping it will be useful to others facing similar circumstances.

Preschool search function on the ECDA Preschool Search Portal (PSP) had ceased from 15 Jan 2024. Moving forward, to search for preschools, you need to use the LifeSG mobile app.

It's advisable to begin shortlisting your favourite centres at least 4 months in advance. I registered my interest with the Infant Care Centre (IFC) of my choice during my third trimester, preparing for my baby's enrolment when she is 4 months old. Despite registering interest with 8 centres many months in advance, only 2 centres have responded with available slots. The competition for enrolment is evidently very high.

Navigate to the "Education and Learning" page within the LifeSG app to begin your search for preschools. Embark on your journey to find the perfect preschool for your baby by initiating your search and creating a shortlist of your favourites. At this stage, streamline your options by factoring in proximity to your location, school fees, and the programs offered, such as full-day or half-day infant care.

Bookmark the centres you're interested in and proceed to indicate your interest.

Take a proactive approach by contacting centres of your choice and requesting a centre visit. However, please note that some centres, like My First Skool, may not allow centre visits. During your centre visit, it's essential to ask pertinent questions to gather information and ensure that the centre meets your expectations. Here are some sample questions you can refer to: 

    - What is the staff-to-child ratio in the classrooms?

    - How many infants are currently enrolled in the centre?

    - What is the maximum number of infants you can accommodate at the facility?

    - What is the menu like?

    - What is the late pick up charges?

    - Is there a separate area designated for infants, or are they integrated with older children in the childcare facility?

    - What items should be packed for my baby's daily needs at the childcare centre?

    - What is the curriculum or approach followed for child development?

    - How are children's progress and development tracked and communicated to parents?

    - How does the centre communicate with parents and how frequently do they provide updates on the children’s progress? 

    - What are the centre's policies on discipline and behavior management?

    - How does the centre handle emergencies or medical situations?

    - How, and how often, do you sanitise the toys and materials used by the children?

Complete and submit the childcare enrolment form and subsidy application form (for SG citizen child enrolled in an ECDA-licensed centre) to your chosen centre. Confirm with the centre whether they will submit the subsidy application on your behalf or if you are required to submit it yourself. You can specify the account from which the school fees will be deducted, including your child's CDA account. 

Let's examine the advantages and disadvantages of sending your baby to an infant care centre.

    - Infant care centres can be expensive, adding a significant financial burden to your household expenses

    - With multiple babies to care for, caregivers may have less time to devote individual attention to each child.

    - Babies in group care settings are more likely to be exposed to common illnesses like colds and stomach bugs, which can result in frequent illnesses

Overall, the decision to send your baby to an infant care center depends on your individual circumstances, preferences, and priorities. It's essential to weigh the pros and cons carefully and consider what will best meet the needs of both you and your baby.

The teachers at Carpe Diem @The Stradia are friendly and responsive. They readily follow instructions regarding baby care, such as applying moisturiser frequently for drool rash. They provide regular updates through their in-house app on activities like baby showers, diaper changes, feeding (breastmilk, formula milk, or solid), and naps. Additionally, the presence of multiracial teachers allows babies to be exposed to different races. Furthermore, their fees are comparable to Sparkletots and My First Skool, placing them in the average price range.

I've found their in-house app to be very buggy and not user-friendly. At one point, I decided to stop packing baby food for my infant care centre when my baby started on solid foods, as it seemed redundant to continue preparing food myself. I sent a message to the teachers via the in-app messaging function, informing them that they could feed my baby from the centre's infant menu. However, it appears that my message got lost among the others, as three different teachers asked me if they could feed my baby from their infant menu since I hadn't packed her food.