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“Finding quality childcare is a piece of cake.” Say this to any parent with a need for childcare and you’ll likely get an odd look. After all, finding the best, safest and most educational childcare is anything but easy.
Who hasn’t heard the stories of heartbreak and outrage?
Take, for instance, the parents who’s hidden camera caught a babysitter throwing their 10-month-old baby to the ground when he wouldn’t take his bottle. Or what about the little girl who was bitten in the face three times during her first three weeks in daycare?
But there is hope. These stories of deficient childcare are the exception, not the rule. In fact, there are thousands of quality childcare providers who will nurture and care for your children, and finding one of them is not an impossible task.
Here’s how to separate the good from the bad.
The first step to finding quality child-care is understanding the immensity of the decision. Parents shouldn’t take this decision lightly; they should think it through and look at all the available resources before they make their final decision.
A good starting point is accreditation. The National Association for the Education of Young Children is the most widely used accrediting service in the nation, but others, like National Early Childhood Program and National Association for Family Child Care, are used as well. So look for these groups’ or other groups’ seals of approval, because they mean the facility has voluntarily applied for accreditation, gone through an extensive self-study and had those study results verified by the accrediting group.
Accreditation alone, however, does not mean you’ve made the right choice. In fact, since only about 10 percent of day-care centers in the U.S. are certified, you may find it difficult to even find one of these sites in your area.
This is why it’s important to find out as much as possible about the person or people who will be taking care of your child. So ask a lot of questions—especially about the experience and background of the caregivers. Ask about their training, and if they have children of their own. Why are they working in day-care? Is it because they love children or just need some extra cash? And do they know CPR?
References are also a necessity—preferably from three or more people. But be sure to follow up on the references. Just because these people are willing to hand references to you, doesn’t mean they’re legitimate. Parents are also encouraged—if possible—to ask other parents about their experience with the care provider.
Good staff-to-child ratios are another excellent measuring stick for the quality of a childcare center. The NAEYC and the American Academy of Pediatrics both agree that there should be one adult for every three infants, four 2-year-olds, seven 3-year-olds, or eight 4-year-olds.
Open-door policies are also a must. In fact, be suspicious of any provider who recommends, urges or demands that you stay away while your child is in their care.
Also check the surroundings. Is the facility clean? Are the toys washed every day? Are infants surrounded by toys with small parts?
Even after you’ve done your research, asked all the appropriate questions, and chosen what you believe to be the best care for your child, continue to evaluate your child’s progress and comfort.
And remember, it can’t hurt to drop by unannounced every couple of months or so.
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