Find the best family child care provider by learning where to look and what you need.
Childcare is one of the most crucial decisions a parent will make concerning the health and well being of their children in the younger years. It is important to take your time and consider all of your options carefully when choosing childcare.
Places to look for potential providers would be in your newspaper, your local publications, your local phone book, church and community bulletin boards, and most especially word of mouth. Word of mouth is one of the best ways to find childcare as you have a built in reference.
Once you comprise your list of names and numbers set aside some time in the early evening after supper and sit down with a pad of paper and a pen, and the phone for some uninterrupted time to make your first calls and do a short interview over the phone.
When you call, after you identify yourself and why you are calling, ask the provider if now is a good time, and if it's not find out when you can call back so that you are not rushed and able to get a feel for this person. It's a good idea to do a short phone interview to weed out the ones that are not for you -- this saves a lot of time for all parties involved.
Here are some questions for you to ask during the phone conversation:
1) What are your hours of operation?
2) Do you have any openings for (insert child's age)?
3) Are you licensed? If the answer is no, ask if they are required to be, not every one is.
4) How many children do you currently have in care and what are their ages?
5) Ask for at least 2 references that you can call before you make an appointment.
6) Ask when the provider is available for an interview.
7) Ask what the fees would be for the care you need.
If the hours or the fees are not in your range of need, cross this name off of your list. If they have many children of a young age cross this name off the list, it will be too hard for the provider to give the little ones the care and attention they need if all of them are in the same need category. If they are not licensed this does not mean you have to cross them off the list, call the county and find out what the requirements are for that area. Could be the provider is in the process of being licensed.
This next one is very important, if the provider tells you to come during the day when children are there for the first meeting cross that name off your list! Run as fast as you can in the other direction. If they are letting you, a complete stranger, into their home alone around other children in care than who knows who or what they will allow into their home when it's your children in care. This is not a good thing, as there are so many oddballs in today's world.
When you are done narrowing down your list call the references. Don't call just one; call both references that you asked for. If they did not give you two, cross them off of the list. Here are some questions you may want to ask references during the phone call; be sure to take notes of the answers:
1) How long have you known the provider?
2) How does she deal with/handle her own children?
3) How long has she been a provider?
4) Is the provider married or have a live in significant other? How do they get along? Do they have fights or disagreements in front of the children?
5) Does the provider smoke?
6) Does the provider have pets?
7) What is your relationship to the provider?
8) Have you or would you consider using provider to care for your children? Why or why not?
9) How does the provider generally keep her home? Is it a safe place for children of all ages?
After you have spoken to all the references for the providers you are considering look at the answers and cross off your list the ones that are not acceptable for you.
At this stage of the game you probably have dumped around half of the names on your list. It is time to call the providers and set up interviews. Bring along your spouse and your child for this interview. Scheduling only one interview per day is a good idea, so you won't feel rushed and can get a good feel for the provider.
Remember the suggestion to steer clear of providers that want to interview you during business hours. This is not a good idea for the first interview, but is a must for the second and subsequent interviews.
You've now narrowed your call list down to the few providers that initially seem to fit your needs. It's time to call the names on your list and set up the initial interview.
It is a good idea not to call during the daytime hours. There is enough for a child care provider to do during the day without having to chat on the phone with a potential client. Would you want your provider to be talking on the phone when your child is in care?
When you call tell them you'd like to set up the initial interview. Be sure to set aside at least 2 hours for the interview. Having your spouse or a trusted friend along is a good idea, as you don't know who this provider is either, even though you've already checked two references and it's better to be safe than sorry. A time when your child is well rested and not hungry is a good time as well.
When you pull up to the house be sure to look at the surroundings. What is the neighborhood like? Are there a lot of dangers to a child? Is the yard fenced in? Are there swimming pools around the area? Busy roads?
Does the childcare provider have pets? If so, take a good look at the yard. If there are droppings all over the yard that is not a good thing and chances are it's not going to be much better in the house and you may as well go home. I'm not talking one or two -- because that's acceptable (not great but acceptable) as the dog does have to go during the day. Although be sure to inquire as to where the dog goes and how often the droppings are picked up outdoors -- and if the children are kept away from that area. It should be a separate area as that's a health hazard.
With indoor pet's check for odor -- slight odor with cats may occur, but if it's a really strong odor this is not a good sign. Be sure to ask to be shown where the litter box is. It should not be where the children play or eat or food is prepared.
Look around the house and what is your first impression? Does it look like a house that welcomes kids? Does it look like a house that kids are free to be kids in? If the house is totally spotless and no toys in site (unless this area is off limits to kids) this is not a good sign. You want a home where the kids are free to be kids and where toys will be played with and not just admired on the shelf.
Ask to look at the play areas. Are the toys challenging? Are there arts and crafts? Are there toys for all different ages? Are the toys for the bigger kids out of reach of the little kids? Take a close look at the toys, are they clean and in good repair?
Is there a TV in the area? Ask if it's on during daycare hours, if it is ask what shows are on. Ask how often the children are allowed to watch TV. Ask what type of programming the children are exposed to during the day, both for their watching enjoyment, and the providers.
Ask to see the sleeping areas. How often is the bedding washed? This should be done daily. How many sleep in the same room/space? How are the children supervised during nap time? What does provider do for the older children during nap time? What is provider doing herself during nap time?
Ask to see the eating area. Not only where the children eat but the area in which it's prepared. How clean is it? Are clean dishes used for each meal and snack? How about glasses? What sorts of foods are prepared? Ask to see food program records and menus. Ask to see where they keep the listing of food allergies. Ask how meat is prepared and cooked. Ask what the practices are to prevent germs and bacteria. Ask where provider does her food shopping. Ask what sort of rituals are performed at meal time; do kids wash hands before meals, say grace, help set the table, clean up afterwards?
Ask provider what her qualifications are. Ask for proof. Is she certified in CPR? Don't just take her word for any of it, ask to see proof. Ask to see certificates and cards. Is provider licensed? Ask to see the license.
Give emergency scenarios and ask provider how she would handle it -- tornadoes, fires, injuries etc. Give scenarios of children fighting, biting, etc., and ask how provider would handle said situation.
Ask about the turn over in the daycare. If there is a big turn over ask for some of the names and numbers of those that have left and ask why they have left. Ask who is the terminating party, the provider or the parents.
Ask provider if she has any complaints filed against her, and be sure to call the licensing department for the county to find out. If a provider does have complaints this is not an automatic dismissal as there are many parents who file unsubstantiated claims when they are terminated for not paying or for violating the daycare agreement/contract.
Be sure to get all of the provider's policies in writing so that you can take them home, even the contract. There should be a contract.
A daycare should be run like a business. It is a business. If your provider doesn't handle things in a professional way then you could run into problems down the road.
Your gut instinct is a great tool, don't be afraid to use it. If something doesn't feel, look, or smell right to you than it probably isn't.
Do not make a decision right on the spot. Be sure to interview all of the providers you are considering and you will be better able to make an informed decision.
On the first day, if the provider keeps the day going along from one thing to the next it makes the day go so fast for the child that before she knows it the day is done and Mom and/or Dad is here to take her home!
A good way for a new child going into a new daycare to become acquainted fast and on a positive note is to have your child bring a special treat to share. Please do not do this without first asking the provider and be sure to tell the provider what the treat is that you plan on bringing. In some states the food items may not be home made and must come unopened from a store.
If you feel your child may become home sick, calling is not always the best thing. If you call your child and she's homesick, hearing you voice may have the opposite effect you want it too -- it may make her even sadder and the rest of the day all that much more harder for her to handle.
Send along a photo of yourself and your family for your child to keep with her. A child could go look at these photo's anytime at all and this was a good way for the kids to get to talk to one another, by sharing bits about their family.
If the good-bye is a problem area, be consistent, be firm, and do not prolong the good-bye -- this just makes it worse. Nine times out of ten the child will stop crying by the time the parents reach the driveway. Often times a child reacts the way they think that the parent wants them too. Children are amazing and pick up on things you would never, in your wildest dreams, think that they would.
Daycare can and should be a wonderful experience and adventure for all involved. It's up to all parties involved to make it that way!
