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How to Choose a High-Quality Child Care Experience for Your Child

Five Steps to Finding a High-Quality Child Care Facility

Guide for Choosing Child Care

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How to Choose a High-Quality Child Care Experience for Your Child

Choosing high-quality child care isn't always easy. We would like to help.

We want to equip you with information and resources that will help you make informed choices concerning the care of your child.

By utilizing the five steps to finding a high-quality child care facility and the guide for choosing childcare, you will be on your way!


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Five Steps to Finding a High-Quality Child Care Facility

  1. START EARLY

    Start looking as far in advance as you can. No matter what type of care you are considering - a child care center or care in someone else's home - finding the right child care option can take some time.

  2. MAKE A CALL

    Begin your search by calling your local experts - your child care resource and referral (CCR&R) center. CCR&Rs can give you the facts about child care, and a list of child care options in your area that may meet your needs.

    You may want to ask the following questions to your CCR&R:

    • What are the licensing requirements in my area?
    • How can I get information about complaints and licensing violations?
    • Are there any child care financial assistance programs that my family qualifies for?
  3. VISIT AND ASK QUESTIONS

    Make sure you visit the child care options you are considering. Find out about these key indicators of quality:

    • Adult to Child Ratio: Ask how many children there are for each adult. The fewer the children for each adult, the better for your child. You want your child to get plenty of attention. The younger your child, the more important this is. Babies need an adult to child ratio of no more than 1:4 (one adult for four infants), while four-year-olds can do well with a ratio of 1:10 (one adult for ten children).
    • Group Size: Find out how many children are in the group. The smaller the group, the better. Imagine a group of 25 two-year olds with five adults, compared to a group of 10 with two adults. Both groups have the same adult to child ratio. Which would be calmer and safer? Which would be more like a family?
    • Caregiver Qualifications: Ask about the caregivers' training and education. Caregivers with degrees and/or special training in working with children will be better able to help your child learn. Are the caregivers involved in activities to improve their skills? Do they attend classes and workshops?
    • Turnover:Check how long caregivers have been at the center or providing care in their homes. It's best if your child stays with the same caregiver at least a year. Caregivers who come and go make it hard on your child. Getting used to new caregivers takes time and energy that could be spent on learning new things.
    • Accreditation: Find out if the child care provider has been accredited by a national organization. Providers that are accredited have met voluntary standards for child care that are higher than most state licensing requirements. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and The National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) are the two largest organizations that accredit child care programs.
  4. MAKE A CHOICE

    Think about what you saw at each visit, and make the best choice for your child and family.

  5. STAY INVOLVED

    The work isn't over when you find good care for your child. You and you child's caregiver are partners now.

    Here are some ways to be involved:

    • Have a parent-caregiver meeting regularly, and ask questions.
    • Offer to volunteer time when needed, like participating in clean up days, fixing broken toys.
    • Be there for your child's birthday party.
    • Visit your child at child care and read a book aloud.
    • Join in special events, like field trips, Career Day, Black History Month, or other holidays.

    Even if you can't get time off from work during the day, you can still check in at drop-off and pick-up times. Ask the caregiver how things are going, and how your child is doing.

    Visiting and participating in events at your child's provider sends a strong message. It tells your child and your child's caregiver that what you think your child is doing and learning is important.

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A Guide for Choosing Child Care

Caregiver/Teacher

  • Do the caregivers/teachers seem to really like children?
  • Do the caregivers/teachers get down on each child's level to speak to the child?
  • Are children greeted when they arrive?
  • Are children's needs met quickly, even when things get busy?
  • Are the caregivers/teachers trained in CPR, first aid, and early childhood education?
  • Are the caregivers/teachers involved in continuing education programs?
  • Does the program keep up with children's changing interests?
  • Will the caregivers/teachers always be ready to answer your questions?
  • Will the caregivers/teachers tell you what your child is doing every day?
  • Are parents' ideas welcomed? Are there ways for you to get involved?
  • Do the caregivers/teachers and children enjoy being together?
  • Is there enough staff to serve the children? (Ask local experts about the best staff/child ratios for different age groups.)
  • Are caregivers/teachers trained and experienced?
  • Have they participated in early childhood development classes?

Setting

  • Is the atmosphere bright and pleasant?
  • Is there a fenced-in outdoor play area with a variety of safe equipment? Can the caregivers/teachers see the entire playground at all times?
  • Are there different areas for resting, quiet play and active play? Is there enough space for the children in all of these areas?

Activities

  • Is there a daily balance of play time, story time, activity time and nap time?
  • Are the activities right for each age group?
  • Are there enough toys and learning materials for the number of children?
  • Are toys clean, safe and within reach of the children?

In General

  • Do you agree with the discipline practices?
  • Do you hear the sounds of happy children?
  • Are children comforted when needed?
  • Is the program licensed or regulated?
  • Are surprise visits by parents encouraged?
  • Will your child be happy there?

Content provided courtesy of the Ohio Child Care Resource and Referral Association

 

Another way to identify a high-quality child care setting is to look for centers that are accredited or star-rated. These centers voluntarily participate in programs that require much higher standards. Below are descriptions of what an accredited or star-rated center must have and links to help you find out if centers in your neighborhood have one or both of these distinctions.

National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Accreditation


Early childhood education programs are proud to be accredited by NAEYC because they know they have worked hard for that achievement. Using NAEYC tools and materials, they are continuously improving their
programs to provide the best possible educational opportunities for children.


After an extensive application process, skilled and reliable NAEYC program assessors visit each program to determine that it is meeting NAEYC standards. Following accreditation, all programs are subject to random, unannounced visits by assessors to ensure that the programs continue to meet these standards.

NAEYC-Accredited programs must:
• Promote positive relationships for all children and adults to encourage each child’s sense of individual worth.
• Implement a curriculum that fosters all areas of child development: cognitive, emotional, language, physical, and social.
• Use developmentally, culturally, and linguistically appropriate and effective teaching approaches.
• Provide ongoing assessments of each child’s learning and development and communicate the child’s progress to the family.
• Promote the nutrition and health of children and protect children and staff from illness and injury.
• Employ and support a teaching staff that has the educational qualifications, knowledge, and professional commitment necessary to promote children’s learning and development and to support families’ diverse interests and needs.
• Establish and maintain collaborative relationships with each child’s family.
• Establish relationships with and use the resources of the community to support achievement of program goals.
• Provide a safe and healthy physical environment.
• Implement strong personnel, fiscal, and program management policies so that all children, families, and
staff have high-quality experiences.

To find an NAEYC accredited childcare provider near you visit:
http://www.naeyc.org/accreditation/search

Content provided courtesy of the National Association for the Education of Young Children

Step Up To Quality


To find a step up to quality rated childcare provider near you, visit:
http://www.odjfs.state.oh.us/cdc/query.asp

 

Nationally Accredited Family Child Care (NAFCC)


NAFCC Accreditation is awarded to family child care providers who meet the eligibility requirements and the Quality Standards for NAFCC Accreditation. According to the State of Ohio, family child care refers to individuals who care for children in their own residences. Ohio recognizes two types of providers:
• Type A, care for between 7-12 children and are licensed by the State
• Type B, care for up to 6 children and are certified through the County
Accreditation reflects a high level of quality through a process that examines all aspects of the family child care program, i.e. relationships, the environment, developmental learning activities, safety and health, and professional and business practices. Once family child care providers become accredited, they agree to abide by the standards set forth and to be measured against those standards, with periodic integrity and compliance reviews. There are over 2100 NAFCC Accredited providers throughout the United States and in other locations worldwide where military family child care professionals operate.


Why Choose Nationally Accredited Family Child Care?
Significant research has provided evidence that warm, loving and home-like settings are natural environments for children during early childhood. While offering the safety and comfort of home, and providing a consistent caregiver throughout the years, family child care is the care choice for many parents.
NAFCC Accreditation is an indicator that family child care offers safe, inviting spaces and warm, nurturing care complete with educational activities designed to meet the needs and interests of all children while promoting individual development.
Nationally accredited homes meet high standards in child care and set the benchmark for quality.
To find a Nationally Accredited Family Child Care provider near you visit:
http://nafcc.org/accreditation/acclist5db.asp

Content provided courtesy of the Ohio Child Care Resource and Referral Association

 

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