"Choosing Child Care"

I'm going back to school, and I need to put my eighteen-month old daughter in child care. There are so many programs out there. How can I figure out the best fit for me and my daughter?

-- Needing support in Cheyenne

Choosing child care is an important decision for both you and your daughter. Finding a place you both feel comfortable with is an important first step towards a successful transition into child care. There are several things to consider in finding and choosing child care that fits your family's needs.
. Think about what is important to you. Knowing your needs and your child's needs will help you decide which aspects of care are the most important to you. Think, also, about which issues are negotiable for you, and which are non-negotiable. You may be less concerned about the neatness of a program and more concerned about the personal qualitites of your daughter's primary caregiver. Or, because of your child's temperament, you may know that your child needs a program with a small group size. Or, you may be sure that you want a program which has a large, accessible outdoor space or a caregiver that speaks your native language. Often, as you talk to different providers and visit a variety of programs, you become clearer about what your criteria for quality is. As you visit and compare different programs, you may want to make a list of "pros" and "cons" for each.
. Consider the different types of child care. There are a number of different kinds of childcare: center-based care, where larger groups of children are cared for by licensed teachers/caregivers in a licensed facility; family day care homes, where smaller groups are cared for in a child care provider's licensed home; in-home child care where your children are cared for in your own home by a licensed or unlicensed nanny or in-home care provider; and friend or relative child care, where children are cared for by friends or family in their own or the caregiver's home. Each type of care has its advantages and disadvantages. You may want to visit more than one of these settings before you make your decision.
. Research your child care options. Find out if there is a local Child Care Resource and Referral Agency near you. If so, they can provide you with child care referrals, as well as information on how to choose a child care provider. Otherwise, ask your friends and other parents for recommendations. Ask them detailed questions about the quality of the program. As well as looking for programs and providers who are licensed, you can also look for programs that are accredited by professional organizations such as The National Association for the Education of Young Children. You can contact NAEYC for a list of accredited centers in your area and for criteria to use in choosing a child care provider. You can also look in the yellow pages, and do your initial screening over the phone.
. Interview the care provider. Call ahead to do a preliminary interview to find out if you want to visit the program. Anytime you interview a provider -- either on the phone or in person -- make sure it is a good time for that person to talk. Often there is not a separate person to answer the phone and you may need to arrange a time to talk when the provider is not responsible for children. As well as getting information about hours of operation, ages of children, cost and location, it is also essential to get information about the quality issues: how long they've been in operation, the ratio of caregivers to children, the group size, the training and turnover rate of the caregivers, continuity of care (how long children are with the same teacher), safety, food program, the daily schedule, the program philosophy, discipline strategies, and systems for parent communication, education and involvement.
      It can be very informative to ask "situational" questions also. For instance, "How do you respond when a child cries?" Or, "What do you do when two children are fighting over a toy?" Or, "How do you respond when a child breaks a rule?" Or, "How is it handled when teachers and parents have different opinions on how children should be cared for?"
. Observe the program. As well as doing a interview, it is essential that you observe any program you're seriously interested in. If possible, it's best to do your initial observation on your own, without your child present. For many children, visiting several places can be very stressful. Also, if you are having to focus on your child's needs, you won't be free to observe what's going on in the program.
      Before you make your final decision, visit the program more than once, at different times of the day. As you observe, assess the quality of interactions between caregivers and children. Are they respectful? Do the caregivers look like they are enjoying what they are doing? Do children look relaxed, engaged and comfortable with the caregivers, other children and the environment? Are children allowed to explore safely and freely? How much of the time do children get to choose what they want to do and how much of the time do the adults decide? Are children encouraged to do things for themselves? Are children's ideas valued? Does what you see match the program's written philosophy?
      When you observe a program, you will develop a feel for what is happening which is more important than all of the specific questions you might want to ask. It is important to pay attention to your gut feelings -- your level of comfort and trust in the program. A program that has all of the "right information" but doesn't feel comfortable to you is probably not a good match for your child.
. Observe with your child. Once you have decided on a program or have it narrowed down to two or three, it is important to visit with your child so you can observe her in the setting. Then, when your child actually begins care, it is useful to spend some time helping her "warm-up" to the new situation. (For more on helping children get settled in a new child care situation, click here)
      To connect to extensive resources on the World Wide Web on choosing childcare, click here.