How to Find the Very Best Daycare for Your Family
Getting Started
Before you call anyone for an appointment, ask for recommendations from friends, family, and co-workers. You will find people are more than happy to recommend a great center if they know of one. Along with those recommendations, do a search near your home. As you compile your list, ask yourself exactly what expectations you have in regards to education, safety, and location. Do some research about the local and state laws for daycare providers in your area. Most states have ratio regulations. This means there must be one caregiver per number of children. That number will differ for different age groups. Many states require a certain number of the staff to have formal education in childcare. A general rule of thumb would be to have one certified teacher per room or age group. For guidelines you can contact the National Resource Council for Health and Safety in Child Care at 1-800-598-5437. Their mailing address is: University of Colorado Health and Sciences Center at Fitzsimons, Campus Mail Stop F541, P.O. Box 6508, Aurora, CO 80045-0508. They can assist with licensing requirements for daycare facilities for any state.
Make some preliminary phone calls once you have a list compiled. Ask some questions to help you narrow your list down even more. Questions pertaining to hours, fees, and possible hidden fees are important to ask up front. Inquire about rules pertaining to unscheduled overtime. Find out if they charge you for days your child does not come in. You should also ask about appropriate licenses and if the staff has current CPR and first aid training. Depending on your educational expectations, you may want to inquire about specific learning programs that they offer for each age group.
Visiting Prospective Centers
Once you have your list narrowed down to a few good possibilities, go ahead and make appointments to go to each center to have a look around. Consider visiting in the morning hours if possible. You can learn a lot about a facility by watching how the children react when dropped off for the day. While you are there take stock in the appearance of the building. Is it clean? Do things look safe? Are there alarms on the doors? Take notice of the process they go through when allowing anyone to enter the daycare center. A good facility will not allow just anyone to walk in unattended. Take note of safety issues such as childproof protection on doors, cabinets, and windows. Look around for fire alarms, fire extinguishers, and first aid kits.
Observe the staff interacting with the children. Do the children seem to be content and engaged or nervous and withdrawn? Do the caregivers seem to be at ease with the children? If you are there when a parent drops off their child, observe how the staff connects with the child. When speaking with the owner or the manager of the center you should have specific questions ready. Write them down if you must. There are some essential questions that are hard to ask, but are very important if you want to feel at ease with your decision. Start with the easy questions and work through any new questions that may pop into your head.
Here is a list of some questions you should ask any person you are considering for childcare:
-What is your learning curriculum?
-How much exercise do the children get each day?
-How do they handle food allergies?
-Can you give me examples of typical activities and games?
-What are your nap policies and how are they enforced?
-How many children per caregiver?
-Do you have regular fire drills?
-What are the discipline policies?
-How do they handle fighting between children?
-What happens when a child is sick?
-What happens in case of an emergency?
-What are the safety guidelines for outdoor play or walks?
-What are the security procedures for drop off and pick up of children?
-How can I be sure a stranger will not come and take my child?
-Have all employees, no matter what position they hold, had thorough background checks?
-Do caregivers have references that you may contact?
-Have any of the staff ever been convicted of a crime?
Another important question you might want to ask is about television. Children in a daycare should be exposed to minimal television viewing. If they have viewing time ask how long the children watch and what shows are they presenting? Do they offer a program that encourages children to dance and learn? You should also inquire about staff turnover rate. A high turnover rate can be traumatic for the children. Stability is important for their sense of security.
If your child is still very young, you will need to ask about feeding schedules and diaper policies. If you are breastfeeding, ask how they will handle the expressed breast milk you will provide. If you are formula feeding, you will want to find out the specifics of what you need to supply and in what form. If your child is in diapers you will need to know how often the diapers are checked and changed. How many do you need to supply each week? If you are using cloth diapers, you will want to ask how they handle this and what you need to know and do.
The Final Decision
Make sure that you take the time to visit more than one center, even if you really like the first one. You will find that each center is unique and has something different to offer. After your visits place a call to your state’s child services agency. Find out if their license is current and if there have been any complaints that you should take into consideration. Don’t be afraid to make unannounced visits. This will help you see the how things go when they are not expecting to be observed.
When working on your final decision remember to trust your instincts. Ask your child how they felt about each place. Consider your child’s personality and your own expectations when making your final decision. Once you have made your choice be aware of how your child is adjusting and ask them each day how everything feels and if anything went wrong. Hopefully you will get positive feedback from your child and you will know you have found a place that provides a nurturing environment. Not only will you have a happy and thriving child, you will find the peace of mind that allows you to concentrate on your day.
