Many parents simply can't be at home with their children everyday. Finding the right child care or day care provider is crucial. for them, and their children. How do you know who's "right?" Ask potential care givers a lot of questions, know what the best answers should be, and know who to turn to for help.
Q & A: Be Ready
Here are some of the important questions you need to ask and some information to help you know if you're getting good answers:
Licensing and Registration. This is perhaps one the most important question to ask, and it probably should be asked first whenever you talk to potential care giver. Each state has it's own laws on licensing and registration requirements for day care and child care providers, and they vary a great deal from state to state. For example:
- In many states, day care or child care centers need to be licensed by and/or registered with a state agency, and the staff workers need specialized training and education
- Some states don't require any licensing or registration for in-home care givers who take care of only a few children, like less than five children under the age of 15 years old
- Many states don't require licensing or registration for relatives or family members who watch children they're related to, like grandparents
- Day care and child care centers that need to be licensed or registered usually are inspected by state officials several times per year to ensure safety and health rules are being followed
Ask any potential care giver if it has the appropriate license and registration. You'll need to be familiar with the licensing and registration laws in your state. Daycare.com has an excellent tool to help you. However, these laws may change at any time, so it's always a good idea to double check your state's laws to make sure you have up-to-date information.
How many children are being watched by the care giver and how many staff workers are there? This is called the staff to child ratio. Your child needs and deserves some individual attention and care. The more staff workers, or the fewer the children, the better your child's experience. Again, some states have laws on the ratio, others don't. The National Network for Child Care (NNCC) recommends:
- At least one adult for every three to four infants
- One adult for every four to six children under three years old
- One adult for every 10 children between three and five years old
- One adult for every 12 school-aged children five and older
Policies. How does the care giver handle discipline? Is corporal punishment used - spanking or paddling? How does the care giver handle sick children? Are staff memebers trained in first aid and CPR? Is there a "sick room" to help stop infections from spreading? Are sick children required to stay home, or will they be sent home? When will the center call you if your child becomes ill?
Are the premises safe? It's best to visit the center or the home and take a look around:
- Do you see fire alarms and smoke and carbon monoxide detectors? Ask if the center holds fire drills regularly. Do you see an evacuation plan posted on a wall or door?
- Is the playground fenced in to keep strangers out and the children in? Is there a safety surface like wood chips or shredded rubber to help reduce injuries when children fall?
- How often are surfaces, like desks and tables, and toys cleaned and disinfected?
- Are doors leading outside locked at all times?
Staff specifics. Besides licensing, find out as much as you can about everyone who might spend time with your child. How long have they worked there? Do they seem nice, smile a lot, and give you the impression they genuinely love working with children? Have all workers passed a criminal background check? Most states require one for anyone who works with children in a licensed day care center.