Choosing Child Care

As parents, choosing child care may be one of the most frustrating and challenging decisions you will make. By far it is one of the most important in terms of your child's development and your peace of mind. There are many factors to take into consideration when looking for child care, following is a list of questions on what to ask of a provider.

The questions are color coded to assist you in determining quality in child care. As you answer the questions, check the box that best describes the child care situation. When making your decision look at the checked boxes as you would a stop light.

	Green - Go!
	Yellow - Caution
	Red - Stop!

A majority of green boxes checked should indicate that minimal standards of quality are being met in the program. Most childcare sites will have a combination of green and yellow boxes checked.

If there is a majority of red boxes you may want to visit other sites before making a decision.

For more information contact the Department of Social Services or Child Care Resource and Referral in your area.

How to Start

Name of provider:	__________________________
Telephone Number:	__________________________
Address:	__________________________
Is this a convenient time to visit, if not when can I call you back?	__________________________
How many children are cared for?	__________________________
What are your fees?	__________________________
What hours are you open?	__________________________
Are you open year round?	__________________________
What days of the week are you open?	__________________________

Group Size and Ratios: In general, children do better in a smaller group. The following are recommendations made by the National Research Council on Child Development Research and Public Policy.

AGE	Group Size	Adult/Child Ratio
0-12 months	6 to 8	1:3 to 1:4
1 to 2 year olds	6 to 12	1:3 to 1:6
3 year olds	14 to 20	1:5 to 1:10
4 to 5 year olds	16 to 20	1:7 to 1:10
school age	20 to 24	1:10 to 1:12

About the Provider

Are you registered or licensed?

	Yes
	No

What training do you have?

	Bachelor of Science in Child Development
	Child Development Associate Degree
	Vocational School Graduate in Child Development
	In-Service Training in Child Development
	Other
	None

How long have you been in the field?

	5 years
	1-4 years
	less than 1 year

How long do you plan to continue in the field?

	this is my career
	not sure

Could you provide me with two references from parents of children either in the program now or in the past? If the provider is just starting ask for references from past employers.

Name	Telephone Number

Call References

		Were you satisfied with the group size and ratio of adults to children?
		Were you satisfied with quality of care given?
		Were you satisfied with meals and snacks?
		Were you satisfied with the overall management of the program?

Other Questions

What do you feel were the programs strengths and weaknesses? Did you feel comfortable with the discipline policy? How long have you used this program? Would you choose this program again? Why or why not?

If you feel good about the telephone interview and what the references had to say about the program and provider, call to set up an appointment for a child care site visit.

Site visit:
Date:
Time:

Environment

The environment should above all else be safe. Check for program characteristics such as appropriate toys and activities for the age range of children, nutritious meals, cleanliness and a range of activities indoors and outdoors.

Child Care Site Visit

Things to look for in the physical space.

	Green: meets all criteria
	Yellow: meets some criteria
	meets none of the criteria

Meals

Children are offered a nutritious:

	Breakfast
	Morning Snack
	Lunch
	Afternoon Snack
	Dinner
	Evening Snack

 

			Child care provider is on the Federal Food Program.
			Menus are posted.

Infants and Toddlers

			There is a clean area for crawling and exploring.
			Toys are clean and free from rough edges.
			Open stairways are blocked off by gates.
			Children spend the majority of waking time out of cribs, high chairs, swings, play pens, etc.
			There is enough equipment for all children.

Preschoolers

			Center is neat, clean, and organized.
			There is a suitable space for children to take a nap.
			Rooms are cheerful, attractive, and appealing to young children.
			Materials and toys are situated so a child can reach them.
			There is enough equipment and materials for all children.
			Toys are in good repair with no rough edges.
			Outdoor play area is safe and well supervised.

School Age

			Setting is pleasant indoors and outdoors.
			There is space for quiet and active activities.
			Equipment and materials available to encourage youngsters to take part in sports, pursue hobbies and have a positive learning experience.
			Are accommodations made in materials and equipment for children with special needs?
			Activities and materials are appropriate for the child's age level.

Caregiver

			Is warm, friendly, and responsive to children.
			Is energetic, in good health, and able to keep up with children.
			Holds babies when they bottle feed.
			Holds, talks to, and plays with babies other than at feeding times.
			Encourages infants/toddlers to master skills such as feeding themselves, dressing, playing and toilet training.
			Washes hands frequently, especially after changing diapers.
			Is accepting of a child's normal development behavior such as wetting, soiling or thumb sucking.
			Encourages children to express themselves verbally by listening to the children, talking to them and asking them questions.
			Provides a routine and rules that are easily understood by the children and are age appropriate.
			Has a sense of humor.
			Enjoys working with children at all different age levels.
			Is caring and understanding and sets a positive example.
			Sets reasonable and consistent limits.

Administrative Questions

Are meals included in the fee or are they extra?

If my child needs transportation to or from preschool, kindergarten, or school, do you provide that? Is there an extra cost?

Do you have a program handbook?

Do I pay when my children are not here because of illness or vacation?

What is your policy on discipline?

Do I pay when you are ill or on vacation?

What happens if my child gets sick?

What happens if you are sick?

Where are the fire exits located?

Are accommodations made in materials and equipment for children with special needs?