| Tips on Searching for Quality Child Care
Your child’s early years are very important.
That is why you need to demand the best possible care for them. Choosing child care can
be a positive experience if you have some good information about what to look for.
Selecting child care involves a thorough decision process so that you can avoid problems
later. Begin by asking fundamental questions on the phone like: location, type of facility,
hours of operation and availability. Plan to visit the programs that sound like a possible
match for you and your child’s need and note the following:
- Adult to Child Ratio: Ask how many children there are for each adult. The fewer
the children for each adult, the better for your child. You want your child
to get plenty of attention. The younger your child, the more important this is.
Babies need an adult to child ratio of no more than 1:4 (one adult for four
infants), while four-year-olds can do well with a ratio of 1:10 (one adult for ten children).
- Group Size: Find out how many children are in the group.
The smaller the group, the better. Imagine a group of 25 two-year olds with five adults,
compared to a group of 10 with two adults. Both groups have the same adult to child ratio.
Which would be calmer and safer? Which would be more like a family?
- Caregiver Qualifications: Ask about the caregivers’ training and education.
Caregivers with degrees and/or special training in working with children will be better able
to help your child learn. Are the caregivers involved in activities to improve their skills?
Do they attend classes and workshops?
- Turnover: Check how long caregivers have been at the center or providing
care in their homes. It's best if child stay with the same caregiver at least a year.
Caregivers who come and go make it hard on your child. Getting used to new caregivers takes
time and energy that could be spent on learning new things.
- Accreditation: Find out if the child care provider has been accredited by
a national organization. Providers that are accredited have met voluntary standards for child
care that are higher than most state licensing requirements. The National Association for the
Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and The National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC)
are the two largest organizations that accredit child care programs.
To learn more, click, open, and read the Quality
Child Care Selection Guide for Parents. You can also print
a copy of the 38
Quality Assessment Companion Guide and take with you when
visiting providers. The 38 point Quality Assessment companion
tool includes 38 questions and indicators that parents can
ask to help evaluate the quality of child care programs.
To begin your Online Referral, click here
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