Choosing Child Care

Important! Choosing appropriate child care for your infant or young child can seem overwhelming. As a parent, it is your responsibility to ensure that your child is safe and happy in a child care environment that is fun, educational, and nurturing.

Childcare is COMMON About 70% of parents place their young children in some type of daily care. Whether you choose in-home or center- based care, a preschool, or someone else's home for your child's daily care setting, there are specific guidelines you should follow to be sure that your child is receiving quality, professional care suited to his developmental needs.

How to Choose Before choosing a care setting, you should be aware of the options available and consider cost, location, and reputation. The first step you should take is to make a list of qualities you're looking for in a caregiver or day care, such as experience, religious background, discipline beliefs, and flexibility. Also consider any religious or cultural beliefs that you wish a caregiver to impart to your child. Interview any prospective hire at least twice and that you conduct a criminal background check, which is usually done by most placement agencies. Approximately 5% of the nannies applying for positions have criminal conviction records,

Questions for Nanny or Home care Why are you interested in working with young children? Why did you leave your last job? (You should always check references; ask that family why the relationship ended and whether they would recommend that caregiver.) What is your discipline policy? (Offer "what if" scenarios to elicit responses to situations that could arise. For example, if a child hits another child or throws a tantrum over a toy someone else is playing with, what should the consequences be?) How will you provide new experiences to enhance my child's mental and physical development? What are the opportunities you can offer to experience art, music, group and individual play, and indoor and outdoor play? How would you handle toilet teaching? How would you handle separation anxiety?

Questions for Child Care Center Do you have an open-door policy on parent visits? What are alternative arrangements for care if the program closes? On what holidays is the center closed? What is your policy on caring for sick children? How do you monitor children on the playground? How old is the equipment and has it recently been inspected? How are children grouped? By age? Do you welcome children of varying ethnic, cultural, and religious backgrounds to the program? Do you include children with special needs? What are the educational backgrounds of the teachers?

The Fine Print Once you've hired a caregiver, draw up a specific contract outlining expected duties, hours, salary, paid vacation, and sick leave; include parental obligations as part of that contract. Establish a review date within a few months to discuss how the arrangement is working and to fine-tune the agreement. Observe the caregiver's interaction with your child routinely and unexpectedly.

Warning Signs Here are signs to look for if you suspect that your child is being mistreated: The caregiver has lied to you or stolen from you. He or she does not answer questions about the daily routine. You come home to find your child unsupervised. The caregiver does not respond to your child. Your child becomes moody or withdrawn or has problems eating or sleeping. Your child suddenly becomes upset when left with the caregiver. You simply have a bad feeling about the caregiver. Parents should be sure the caregiver has the support he or she needs to continue acting as a positive caregiver. He or she should have adequate time off and opportunities to meet other adult caregivers in the area. Parents should always be available by phone or beeper to answer emergency calls. In other words, work together and form a partnership for your child's care.

Out of Home Care Out-of-home care includes day care centers, which are typically affiliated with a public or private agency such as a religious organization, corporation, or community center; family day care programs held in the caregiver's home; part-time child care programs such as preschools or play groups; and publicly funded preschool programs such as Head Start. These programs usually care for children from birth to age 5. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that one adult should have the primary responsibility for no more than one baby under 12 months of age in any care setting. These young children need positive, consistent caregivers who learn to recognize their unique cues for hunger, distress, and play. This kind of nurturing interaction contributes significantly to an infant's social and emotional growth. For infants, the AAP recommends a child to staff ratio of 3:1.

Ratios The AAP guidelines for child care are: In PA this is the law! Age Birth - 24 mos mos mos. 3 yrs yrs. Child:Staff 3:1 4:1 5:1 7:1 8:1 Max. group size

Homes and Centers Day care homes offer child care in the caregiver's home, often with a single adult supervising the children. Center-based care includes day care centers and preschools employing several adults to care for larger groups of children. In either case, both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) recommend that the home or agency is licensed and regularly inspected. Caregivers should have basic training in CPR and early childhood development. There should also be clearly written policies on sick children and discipline. Voluntary accreditation with the NAEYC or the National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) usually indicates that the center is committed to providing quality care and must participate in ongoing child development programs.

Health, safety, and hygiene must be given priority in all child care settings. All children and staff members should have current immunizations; staff should have clear criminal background checks. The facility must be child-proof and all staff members should wear disposable gloves when changing diapers. Toys should be disinfected on a regular basis and frequent hand washing should be promoted among the staff and children to minimize the spread of infection. You should also expect that your child will be assigned to the same caregiver to promote a sense of security and consistency. Inquire about the rate of staff resignations; low staff turnover minimizes the need for young children to repeatedly adjust to new caregivers.

Preschools Preschools, as the name indicates, provide an educational program for young children before starting kindergarten or elementary school. Many day care centers now also incorporate early childhood curricula into their programs. The NAEYC lists these 10 signs of a great preschool: 1. Children spend most of their time playing and working with materials or with other children. 2. Children have access to various activities throughout the day. 3. Teachers work with individual children, small groups, and the whole group at different times during the day. 4. The classroom is decorated with children's original artwork and projects. 5. Children learn numbers and the alphabet in the context of their everyday experiences. 6. Children work on projects and have long periods of time to play and explore. 7. Worksheets are used rarely, if at all. 8. Children have an opportunity to play outside in a safe play area every day. 9. Teachers read books to children individually or in small groups. 10. Curricula are adapted for those who are ahead as well as those who need additional help. 11. Children and their parents look forward to school.

Children With Special Needs Federal law guarantees special education and related services to children with disabilities from birth through age 5. Special services such as speech and physical and occupational therapy can now be brought into day care centers or preschools so that children with special needs can be included in "regular" care settings. Early intervention services can be coordinated through your local Office of Mental Health/Mental Retardation for children up to age 3 and through your state's Department of Education for ages 3 to 5.

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