Know before you go

Visas, jobs, housing market, healthcare, pensions - there is so many formal things you need learn about your new country. There is even more to know when you move countries with kids - below is our subjective list of these things.

The school and childcare system

We moved to the UK when our daughter was two years old, so back then we were especially keen to know how the early years childcare system is organised. To our surprise, not very well - we can't say that the UK is a country friendly for families with young kids. The nurseries here are very pricey, compared to typical salaries. A full time nursery is more expensive than a monthly mortgage or even a university tuition fee! When kids turn three, they get some free nursery hours, so your bill is slightly smaller. There are also alternative childcare providers, such as childminders - it's something like a very small nursery in someone's house, but we weren't convinced with this solution.

Putting our daughter in a nursery was crucial for us, as we wanted her to pick up the language as soon as possible. However, when we moved to the UK, we were initially on a single salary, and although it was higher than the average salary for this region, we could only afford a part time place, meaning that one parent, dad in this case, had to initially stay home. 

You would also want to know at what age your child will start school, as well as how you can (or cannot) choose one. Kids in England start school at the age of four or five, determined by the month they were born in. In England, kids are in general admitted to primary schools based on the physical distance from their home. In other words, where you live will affect your school options, and that's something to take into account when looking for a place to live. It is typical in England that people with pre-school kids move into areas with good schools, which at the same time means areas with expensive housing.

Note, there can be other priorities applied in school admissions, such as siblings already attending this school, or religion, if it's a faith school. Depending on your budget, you may also want to check other options, such as private schools.

Timing is also critical for the school admission. In England, there is a specific deadline every year to apply for a school place. If you happen to move to the country after this date, or during the school year, you will get a place depending on availability, so it won't necessarily be the school closest to your home.

More about our experiences with a primary school in England can be found here.
And more information about school admissions is available on the UK government website here.

Healthcare system

This is always one of the basic things to check before moving, but all the parents will say that it's even more urgent when you have kids. 

The healthcare system in England is residency-based, which basically means that all people who live here have the right to a publicly funded healthcare, regardless of their employment or social contributions. Coming from Poland, where access to public healthcare depends on your national insurance contributions, this was a positive surprise. 

It is very important to register with a GP practice as soon as possible, once you have your UK home address (you will need a proof of it). This puts you in the NHS system and gives access to general practitioners, who can refer you to specialists if needed. 

Probably all foreigners I know in the UK make fun of the British healthcare, the GPs prescribing paracetamol for everything, or difficulties to see a specialist when needed. I've got to admit, I don't share these observations so much, as our experiences were mostly positive. However, I also do admit that we sometimes sought specialist care back in Poland (a paid one), but perhaps we just found it easier.

We described our experiences with the healthcare during pregnancy here.

Free time activities/ everyday quality of life

OK, this is not a formal aspect, it's difficult to measure and is very subjective. But eventually, it affects the everyday life perhaps even more than the other aspects. 

Climate and the fact that outdoor activities are quite limited for a significant time of the year remarkably impacts the quality of life in the UK. There is also the societal rules (and law in some cases), which limit the number of restaurants or pubs where you can eat out with a child after 7pm. In addition, any kids-specific entertainment places close before 6pm. In other words, after 6pm in winter, if you have kids, your main free time option is to stay at home. While this is probably not something you would consider as a priority, it does affect the long-term quality of life, and if moving countries again, we would take this into account.