Selecting Child Care
When selecting child care, you may want to visit, look, and listen, asking yourself some of the following questions:
1. Who will care for your child? What are the caregiver's qualifications?
- Are the adults warm, understanding, accepting of children?
- Do they know first-aid and emergency procedures, provide appealing and nutritious meals, and include snacks?
- Are there enough adults to meet children's needs?
2. Are the daily activities provided for the children appropriate for them?
- Is it a busy, happy place?
- Is there plenty of uncluttered space, study and play equipment, a variety of play materials?
- Is time given for individual attention?
3. What is the facility like?
- Is there a place where children can play indoors and outdoors, express themselves, get along with others, satisfy their curiosity?
4. Do you and the potential child care provider share a common approach to childcare?
- Is there an open door policy?
- Are the discipline policy, attitude about toilet training, and feeding and eating patterns consistent with yours?
- Are fees and financial assistance clear?
Information from Child Care in Manhattan (10/93) and Considerations in the Child-care Decision by Dr. Mary DeLuccie. Kansas State University, 1996.