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Casablanca


 Practical Life


Childcare, Babysitting


There are few organized services for childcare in Morocco. Hotels offer services for guests and there are a few specialized kindergartens, but most Moroccans do not use outside childcare. Hiring a private nanny is much more common. Many people also choose to hire a local person as a live-in domestic house-keeper that cooks, cleans, and watches the children.

It is important to find a facility that works for you and your child. Some factors to consider:
Budget: It is important to know what you are able to spend to help determine where you should look. Think about the number of hours and time to day you will need a sitter to determine your total costs.
Language: Your child may need a dual language facility if they do not speak the native language. Many schools are dual or even tri-lingual staff and curriculum both for international children and to encourage early learning.
Age of Children: Choices in childcare are more limited before 3 years old, and children over 5 years old may attend public pre-school for at least half a day. Some schools require that children be potty-trained.
Service Provided: Some facilities offer occasional care or partial care (i.e. 3 days a week), while other facilities only offer full-time.

Proximity to home or work: This is often the deciding factor when choosing a child care facility. Consider your neighborhood, or the area around your work. The easier the commute, the better the situation.

When choosing a care center, also check staff turnover. Consistency in caregivers is a major benefit for your child. Make sure that you completely trust any facility or caregiver you leave your child with. This is an important element in creating a happy situation, and a happy life.

How to Find Childcare Facility

Meeting local moms is a great way to determine availability and options. Meet at a park, playground, or try online forums like Easy Expat's Morocco forum. Also be sure to visit different care facilities to find one that works for you.

Babysitting

Babysitting is useful if you are not looking for full time care, but need someone to occasionally watch the children. Often, this is a family member such as the grandmother, and may or may not be paid as it would be treated more like a favor. Other people may be looking for these roles as a paid position. Be sure you are comfortable with the person you leave your children with. Background checks are one of the benefits of going through an agency.

Websites like EasyExpat's Morocco's Job Listings are another excellent resource for finding babysitters.

For consistent babysitting, you may look at an au pair. Consult the section on "Au Pair" under "Find a Job".


10/01/2012

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