CHILDCARE: HOW TO CHOOSE DAYCARE

posted by admin in General health

Often parents will seek advice from friends or neighbours. Local government, community nurses, and other local agencies will also be able to recommend daycare facilities. Many services have quite long waiting lists and so you need to make these enquiries well in advance. If you plan to return to work soon after your baby is born, you should try to arrange the childcare late in your pregnancy. After checking that the location is convenient, it is important that you visit the centre to check it out and meet with the director and the staff. Here is a checklist of some of the things you may want to assess. You may want to add other points of your own. These points are relevant also to family daycare.

• What is the physical setting like? Is there a good atmosphere? Is there sufficient space, and is it clean? Pay particular attention to the bathroom and kitchen facilities. Is there an outdoor space, properly fenced, for children to play in?

• What are the play areas like? Are they large enough? Is there a variety of toys, which are sturdy and safe, as well as appropriate to the ages of the children enrolled?

• What sort of food is given to the children? Is it nutritious, well prepared, and of sufficient variety?

• What is the ratio of staff to children? What are the qualifications of the staff, and the director?

• Is there a lower age limit for babies, e.g. 6 months?

• What sort of attitudes are held about daycare? Is it seen as simply childminding, or do staff attempt to engage the children in educational activities appropriate to their ages?

• Observe the care-giving styles of the daycare workers, and attempt to get an idea of the atmosphere of the centre. Are the staff warm, gentle and friendly with the children? How do they handle discipline, conflict and disagreements?

• What sort of written records are kept for each child? Is there a medical and developmental history obtained for each child at enrolment?

• Do the hours of opening suit you? How flexible is the centre about hours and days of attendance? What happens if you are late in picking the child up, as will happen sooner or later?

• Does the centre have particular policies which may affect your child (e.g. are toys such as guns banned; may children bring toys from home; how are gender differences and religious questions treated; does your child need to be toilet-trained to attend; and so on)?

• What is the fee structure, and what arrangements are in place for payment? Is it in advance, or on a weekly or monthly basis?

• Talk to other parents who have children attending the centre. Use the space below to write down any other things you may want to check, or impressions, or things you want to talk to your partner about.

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