Returning to work after parental leave: choosing child care that fits

Lining up child care before returning to work is one of the more stressful parts of parental leave, mostly because the timeline rarely matches what you would choose if starting from scratch. Here is a practical way to approach it.

Start earlier than feels necessary

Demand for infant places in particular outstrips supply at many popular Perth providers, and waitlists can run for months. If you know even a rough return-to-work date, it is worth starting to research and register interest well before you feel ready to commit. You are not locking yourself in by joining a waitlist; you are simply keeping your options open for when the time comes.

A realistic timeline

Timing before return to work	What to do
6+ months out	Research providers, join waitlists at more than one, note fees and hours
2-3 months out	Book tours, ask detailed questions, confirm a place if offered
4-6 weeks out	Complete enrolment paperwork, arrange settling-in visits
1-2 weeks out	Start settling-in sessions, building up from short visits to a full day
Return-to-work week	Ideally your child has already had at least one full day of care

If your child has additional needs, this timeline usually needs to start earlier still, since finding a place with the right support and paperwork in order takes longer; our guide on child care for kids with additional needs in Perth covers what to add to it.

What to weigh beyond availability

Once you have a shortlist of providers with an opening, the decision usually comes down to a few practical factors: proximity to home or work, whether the hours actually cover your work schedule including any commute buffer, and whether the fee (after subsidy) fits your budget. It is easy to default to whichever provider has a place available first, but it is worth pausing to check these fit before committing, since switching later disrupts your child’s routine again.

Managing the settling-in period

Most providers offer settling-in visits before your official start date: short sessions that build up gradually so your child (and you) are not thrown into a full day cold. Use these fully if they are offered. It also helps to be upfront with your workplace about the possibility of a rough first week or two, since some children settle instantly and others need more time, and knowing you have a little flexibility reduces the pressure on everyone.

Splitting care across more than one option

Many families do not rely on a single provider. A common pattern is centre-based or family day care for most of the week, topped up with a grandparent, partner or nanny for the remaining day. If you are piecing together a mixed arrangement, confirm each part is settled before your return date rather than assuming the gaps will sort themselves out once you are back at work.

Talking to your employer about the transition

A little flexibility in your first fortnight back, if your workplace can offer it, takes real pressure off both you and your child during settling. Even a slightly staggered start, working from home for part of the first week, or building in the option to leave early if a settling-in visit does not go smoothly, can make the return noticeably less stressful. Raising this early, once you have a return date and a care arrangement roughly confirmed, gives your employer time to plan around it rather than asking for flexibility at the last minute.

Preparing for the emotional side, not just the logistics

Plenty of the stress around returning to work comes from guilt or worry about handing your child over to someone else, even when you know rationally that the arrangement is a good one. This does not go away simply because the logistics are sorted. Talking to other parents who have been through the same transition, and giving yourself permission to feel unsettled in the first week or two even if your child settles quickly, tends to help more than trying to push the feeling away.

Getting the fee picture straight

Before you commit, get a clear, subsidy-adjusted cost from each provider on your shortlist so you are comparing like with like, not just headline fees. This is worth doing properly rather than estimating loosely, since it affects a decision you will be living with for months. Read our methodology to see how we score and rank the providers you might be choosing between.