What questions should I ask when finding the right daycare?

Question

I am really nervous about putting my daughter in daycare for the first time, how can I make sure I pick a good one? What do I ask?

My daughter is only six months, I plan on only taking her to daycare once a week for 3-5 hours.

Answer 1

Here are a couple of articles I had sent my way when I was looking for daycare for my son. They mostly have to deal with in-home daycare but can be used with daycare centres as well.
Good luck!!

- Provider's child care experiences
- Training
- Provider's reasons for supplying day care
- Number and ages of children in the home
- Routine ("typical day")
- Programmme - activities, toys, equipment, T.V., outings
- Menus - lunch and snacks
- Daily communication - written or verbal
- Provider's "house rules" - limits set for children
- Behaviour guidance techniques
- Areas of home available to children - playing, sleeping, eating
- Other adults home during day
- Safety precautions and emergency procedures
- Use of Provider's car
- Other issues: pets, smoking, parent drop-in visits, etc.




INTERVIEWING
Plan to interview more than one caregiver. Here are some tips you might use in your interview:
- Ask the caregiver if you can spend some time with her for part of the day.
- Observe children in care. Are they competitive, happy, task oriented and/or active? Your child will often adopt the behaviors of the group.
- Meet all the people who are often in the home during caregiving hours. Lunch or supper times are recommended. This way you will see a good representation of family, number of children in care, etc.
- Ask for a tour of the home. Note safety concerns. Ask about house rules and discipline.

Here is a list of questions you might consider asking. This list does not reflect everyone's priorities. You may have a different list of questions. When you interview a potential caregiver, know what you are looking for and why.

Nutrition
What is you most popular lunch for children? What kinds of snacks do you serve? How often? What are your expectations at meal times?

Safety
How have you child proofed your home? What are your plans for handling food allergies, sickness, fire, injuries, emergency situations
**Assess environment from your child's eyes and developmental needs - is it safe for your child? Is she/he willing to change it? How?

Health and Hygiene
Does anyone smoke in the house? Do the children the children wash hands before meals and after toileting? Does she know the signs of infectious diseases, signs of of serious illness, e.g dehydration? Does each child have his/her own toothbrush, cup, towel, face cloth bedding? How clean is her home? Watch her toileting and diapering procedures. Are her children immunized? When are children excluded from care?

Daily Activities
What do you enjoy doing most with the children? How do you play with the children? What types of activities do you try to do everyday with the children? How do you choose activities, ie by age, child chooses? When do you do house work? Are children involved in the house work? How would you use this room when caregiving? What are your daily routines? Weekly routines? how do you plan your day? What would you do on a rainy day with a _____ year old?
Outings: Where do you go? How often? How long? How do you travel? Do you have proper child care restraints?
T.V How much T.V / Video is allowed? Do you control the programs the children watch? are any programs not allowed? Do you watch t.v with the children?
Crafts: How do you feel about messy play, water/paint/sand/mud? What kinds of crafts would you do with a _____ year old?
Excercise: Where are the active play areas - inside/outside (especially in winter)?

Child Guidance
What do you do when a child misbehaves? How do you handle temper tantrums, fighting refusal to share, extreme activities, destruction of toys, foul language etc? What do you do when you become angry with a child?

NOTE: Look for a range in methods which are appropriate to age/development level of child and the child's individual needs and personality. Observe how she/ he reacts to her own children and children in care ie., does she/he try to understand the situation from their perspective?

Emotional
Get her to describe her own children in care (does she/he view them as individuals, does she/he speak warmly and positively? How has she/he tried to develop their sense of self-esteem?) Discuss any concerns you may have concerning separation anxiety.

NOTE: What is her tone and manner with the children? Does she/he show physical affection - does she/he hold baby during feeding? Does she/he put their needs before your in interview? Does she/he approach your child slowly, warmly at child's level? Does she/he respond appropriately to child? Does she/he accept a child as she/he is? Does she/he maintain eye contact, smile at your child, ask to hold your child when child is ready?
Your Expectations and Caregivers Expectations of Parents
Be clear about what your child needs and you need - be honest with yourself and caregiver. Describe your child giving positive and negative feedback.

What does the caregiver expect of parents? Does she/he accept your cultural, family or religious values? Do you accept hers/his?
NOTE: What kind of relationship do you want e.g. friend professional nurturing figure?

Basic Administrative Details
What are the usual hours of care? What fees are charged for full-time, part-time before and after school, daily weekly and hourly care? How (cash/cheque) and when are fees to be paid? What is the penalty for early drop-off and late pick-up? What is the arrangement for P.A. days and vacation (required notice, fees)? What happens when the caregiver is sick (notification alternate care, fees)?

Who is responsible for arranging alternate care? Who can drop-off and pick up my child(ren)? How much notice of termination is required if the parent/caregiver is terminating childcare services? should notice be verbal or in writing?

What is the total number of children the caregiver provides care for? At anyone time? What are the children's ages ? Will their be more children introduced into the caregiving situation? what age(s)? When?

What is the best way to communicate with your caregiver? When? How often?
Will my child's progress be discussed? When?

Be sure to see the caregivers way of dealing with any other children she/he has in care. Have her spend some time with your child. Notice your child's reactions. Note how the caregiver responds to your child.

The following check list may be helpful in choosing a caregiver:
Do you like he/his personality, ie, sense of humour, friendly, calm, etc?
Do you think your child will enjoy being with her/him?
Does the caregiver plan age appropriate, fun activities?
Does she/he seem well organized and confident about her/his job?
Could a child understand and follow her/his rules and routines?
Do you both agree on basic child rearing issues - discipline, toilet training etc.?
Observe the caregiver with your child or the other children in her care. Does she/he give the children in her care positive individual attention? does she/he have a good sense of what children are able to do at different stages of development? Does she/he patiently help children solve their problems? Does she/he provide material and equipment to interest you child? Does she/he encourage your child to express him/herself? Is she/he a good listener? Does she/he help your child get along with others?
REMEMBER:
You are dealing with a person and individual. The caregiver may not meet all your requirements. Choose someone you feel will like you child, who you can trust, and who offers the best caregiving situation to best meet our family's needs.
Compliment of The Ontario Early Years Centre – Leeds and Grenville

Answer 2

Always check with the BBB before entering your child into any daycare.

Ask if they do background checks on their employees. You may also want to conduct some of your own.

See how much time they are outside & how many "teachers" do they have supervising. Run a check for the area on sexual predators.

See what the daycare policies are for emergencies, releasing the child to people picking them up, what happens if a child comes in sick... Many daycares will say that they don't allow that but yet they don't send them home. How many children does the daycare have in compared to staff on duty @ one time.

The answers listed above are also great answers. Just make sure that they know how to care for your baby. Ask other parents who have children at the daycare how they feel about the daycare & what they like & dislike. Also ask the children what they like & dislike about the daycare. Ask them what they do all day while they are there. Ask the children also what they feel about their "teachers". Most kids won't lie to you & will let you know if something is going on.

Answer 3

mommy has the right idea. Look around. We went to check out a daycare for my granddaughter and they had a crib in a closet, the large play equipment was off limits to the smaller kids and they got to play on a side yard with fisher price type cars with broken wheels, the lady's son lived in a back house and all the kids 3 rooms of them were like zombies watching TV. We couldn't believe the price they were asking and couldn't get out of there fast enough. The could have offered it for free and we would have declined. Make sure you can visit unannounced and ask about the adult to child ratio. We found a great place for her after looking at 4 or 5. Only 1 was really bad the others were just to far away or something like that. Also if your child is around 4 look into head start thru the local grade school my granddaughter went there when she was old enough and it was excellent. Go with your gut feeling and you will find a good place for her and she will be happy with new friends.

Answer 4

I think that it is not so much about what you ask (anyone can lie to you, or say what you want to hear), but what you see. Is it clean? Do the kids seem happy? Is the environment right for your family (for example - structured? religious? educational?) Do ask if you are allowed to stop by anytime you want. If they say you have to schedule a time to observe in advance they may be trying to hide something. Many places will let you come by anytime except nap time. Find out the qualifications for employment there. Everyone should be first aid/CPR certified, and at least one person in each room/class should have a degree in Early childhood education. Of course price is an issue, but if it is too cheap, there is probably a reason. You could also ask parents that are picking up or dropping off their kids what they like or dislike about the place. When it comes down to it, just go with your gut. If something seems wrong, it probably is.

Answer 5

How many children can they have (if in home)
What's the adult to children ratio (if a center)
What's your licence number?
Have you had any incidents (then call the county and verify the statement)

Then make sure that some day you just stop by when they aren't expecting you to see how the daycare is run. If it's an inhome I'd ask first if you can stop by sometime and ask what times are nap and lunch times, so you don't wake anyone up...then stop by on an unannounced day.

Answer 6

How old is your daughter ?

I understand your concern, questions you should ask are:
How long have you been doing this ?
Ask for references, if you could talk to another parent.
Interview the caretaker, and if you feel uneasy with them, you don't need to leave them there.
How do the other children relate to the caregiver, is it in a loving manner.

Do they have a handbook and act professional.

These are only some of the questions you should ask, but I think they are the most important ones.

Answer 7

Go to the center or home unexpectedly. Drop in during the day or at naptime to see how the teachers act when they are not expecting anyone. If you can get a tour right away then that is a good sign, if you have to wait or schedule a tour, think long and hard about it.

Answer 8

You should ask about what the ratio of cargiver to children is. If one caregiver is in charge of too many children problems arise. Ask them what their schedule is regarding feedings, diaper changes, etc. Find out their "sick" policy, when you can and can't bring your child in when sick. And one of the most important ask if they allow drop invisits anytime, anyday. If they tell you that they prefer that you call before walk out.

Answer 9

some i would ask:

how many adults per child?
how many per baby?
background checks on employee's?
what kind?
training on employee's?
how often do they disinfect toys
and with what? (bleach and water is perfect)
are diaper changes on demand or scheduled?
do they wash hands after (and between changes)?
with what?
how do they keep sick babys separate?
do they allow sick children to attend?

stuff like that....

also, as a parent, you need to check the sex offenders list in your state and area. look at them, and know where they live.

its your right.

SEX OFFENDERS
http://www.mapsexoffenders.com/
http://www.scanusa.com/
http://www.nsopr.gov/
http://www.familywatchdog.us/Default.asp

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