I want to go back to work - what should I do with my baby?

I want to go back to work part-time and I need childcare for my six-month-old baby. What are the options, and what's the best way to choose?

Ben Black, director at Nannyshare.co.uk, says: "When it comes to childcare, there are three fundamentals: you need something that's affordable, accessible and that you trust.

"The good news is that in the first couple of years (and at the risk of being strung up by the self-proclaimed experts), you don't need to worry too much about your child's development. The most important thing is what we call continuity of attachments - finding a loving, secure environment where the people your child interacts with won't change constantly.

"The three main options are childminder, nanny and nursery. Nurseries are the most popular option, providing highly-regulated safe environments. While most nurseries are pretty good these days, the regulator, Ofsted, is quite tough to please.

"When you look for a nursery, the most important thing is to ask how long the staff have been there. There are plenty of shiny bright nurseries with lots of temporary staff - that's no good.

'There are three fundamentals: you need something that's affordable, accessible and that you trust'

"Much better is an older premises with loyal, vocational staff. Visit and ask questions, and then check out reviews online if possible.

"Childminders are another option, and it's amazing that they don't have a bigger slug of the market. Find a good local childminder and it can represent the best of all worlds.

"There's loads of flexibility, and they tend to be cheaper than a nursery. It's finding them that's the problem - childminders are often very good at the childcare, just not very good at marketing themselves.

"Finally, a great nanny is the most flexible of the childcare options, but it's also the most expensive. This is why so many people use nanny shares these days. If you can find another family close by with similar age children and similar values then you can share a nanny, effectively halving the cost."