How Do I Find High Quality Family Childcare?
The National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) lists these steps in finding high quality family child care:
1. Make calls You can never start too early in searching for and calling different providers and asking questions!
Questions such as whether they are licensed, what the typical ratio is of adults to children, the providers qualifications, professional memberships, or credentials for caring for children. These are all basic information questions to help you determine whether you'd like to move to the next step in interviewing. If a provider does not have an opening for the age group you are needing to place your child into, feel free in asking the provider if he or she would still interview with you and place you on a waiting list!
2. Interview Setting up interviews allows you the opportunity to meet the provider and see the provider's program and environment. Most providers will set up an interview in the evening or weekend for the safety of the children currently enrolled and so the provider can give the parent(s) his or her full attention. Go over the provider's policies and contract and ask for a copy to further puruse. Ask to see the license, credentials, qualifications, CPR/Frist Aid trainings! Look around the space - are there plenty of toys within easy reach for the children to play with, is it relatively clean and seem like a safe environment? Ask the provider to describe a typical day and what activities they offer children. How does the provider communicate about the child's day? Are you always welcome to stop in during the day? Does the provider transport or take children on outings? Many of these things are subjective as to what YOU think are quality! What some parents may like, others may not. Feel free to bring a list of your own questions to ask the provider as well! These are all things to consider in making your own informed decision!
3. Visit If you liked the provider at the interview and want to see what a typical day looks like, schedule a time to come to the family child care home to observe! Does the provider seem to enjoy being with the children? Does the provider meet their needs in a timely manner? Do the children get free play time and the opportunity to explore and choose activities? How does the provider converse with the children? Getting a general feel of how the provider is "in action" will tell you a lot about whether the family child care home is a quality program and a match for you.
4. Make a Decision Bottom line: Which home did you feel the most comfortable in and which provider do you feel would best meet the needs of your child and family? Your instincts are important! While money and location are important factors many parents look at - DON'T make it the only factors!
7 Areas Parents Should Look At
1. Providers Qualifications: licensed? education? formal trainings? certifications?
2. Child Development: are the kids given opportunities to develop fine and gross motor skills? space to play inside and outside? quiet area for individual play? group and individual activities? artwork?
3. Group Size and Adult/Child Ratio: find out what the ratios are and what they are allowed by the state - smaller group settings have proven to be better for most children
4. Health and Nutrition: what will your child be eating? is the provider on a food program? what are the handwashing, diapering, bathroom routines? how do they handle illnesses in the daycare?
5. Safety: written emergency plans posted? fire equipment maintained properly? stocked first aid kits? important phone numbers posted? parent notification of injuries?
6. Parent/Caregiver Relationship: is their mutual respect? communication? parents allowed to drop in?
7. Partnership: does the provider work with state or local agencies to continue to grow in professionalism and maintain a quality family child care program?