In Sonderborg you have 2 options for daycare for toddlers: a dagplejemor (or childminder) or a nursery (vuggestue). We opted for a dagplejemor as Michael was very happy with his. At the moment we have been offered one but haven’t met her so I thought of writing about the process so far.
If I had to describe the process in two words it would be ‘It sucks’!
We were told to sign Benjamin up within a month of birth. And that we did. We were told to write any wishes on the online form. That we did. At just over a month from when he should start we hadn’t heard anything so I started by calling Pladsanvisning (the place that handles daycare offerings). They passed me on to the relevant person and this is the way that went (in Danish):
Me: I am calling about the dagpleje place for my son.
Dagpleje person: Ok. What his name
Me: (Giving details).
Dagpleje person: Oh yes. I see he is on the list. Does this mean he needs a place.
Me: Erm. Yes. Of course.
Dagpleje person: Hmmm OK. I will have to look into it. I will call you with the details end of this week, maybe start of next week.
End of next week comes. No call. So I call back the Monday after.
Dagpleje person: Ah yes I remember you. You need a place is that right?
Me: Erm. Yes. That’s why I called.
Dagpleje person: Hmm. I will look into it and get back to you by the end of the day.
End of day, no call. I call back on Tuesday
Dagpleje person: Ah yes. I know you need a place. I will look into it.
me: Erm. OK.
And that is where we are now. We have been offered a place 30 minutes walk away. We only have one car. Nothing closer we were told. Even if our wish was to have somewhere close.
What about the person we have requested (based on a recommendation from a neighbour)? Oh, that place is taken up we were told. I asked: But we have had her in our remarks section where we were told to include this for a long time’. “Oh yes I can see that” dagpleje person said, “oh well, the place she had available in January is no longer available”.
If I was starting over I would definitely not rely on the system to find an appropriate place. We followed the process just as we were supposed to, thinking that they would have an appropriate system for assigning places. But the system seems to be to assign a place when you call! Absolutely nothing seems to have been done before (besides us being on a list). So I would say ask your neighbours for recommendations, and get on the case of Pladsanvisning on the phone to assign you to that person.
Don’t do like us and trust the system. I know! I have lived here long enough. I should have known! And if you have no one in mind call anyways to make sure that your other requirements (like distance and location) are accommodated as much as possible.