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By Vanessa
Rasmussen, © 2004, All rights reserved.
Website: http://www.startingadaycarecenter.com
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Finding
the right child care center or an individual
for your child can be an extremely time
consuming process. It is always advisable
that you look for the right child care well
in advance. The best way to start your search
is by calling your local Child Resource
and Referral center (CCR&R). 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. These centers
also provide you with information pertaining
to financial assistance programs that you
family may qualify for. |
While visiting
a child care center ensure that your child gets
maximum benefit out of it. Please remember,
choosing child care requires considerable time
and effort. After all, you wouldn’t want
your child to be ignored and mistreated. Here
are some pointers you should consider while
choosing the best child care center:
- Inquire about
the number of children under every adult.
This is more commonly known as the Adult to
Child ratio. The lower the number of children
under one adult, the better. Ideally, for
an infant you would want the ratio to be not
higher than 1:3 (One adult supervising 3 infants).
For older children a ratio of 1:8 would be
good.
- The total
number of children within a group is also
crucial. A small group is always advisable.
For instance, a group of 8 children under
two adults is better than a group of 16 children
under 4 adults. The Adult to Child ratio in
both cases is the same, however, it is much
easier to manage a smaller group.
- A very common
mistake most parents make is to ignore researching
the time each caregiver has spent in a particular
child care center. Children find it very hard
to get used to new caregivers frequently.
It is essential that your child stays with
the same caregiver for at least 10 to 12 months.
Do not opt for a child care center that has
a reputation of hiring new caregivers frequently.
- A lady in
her mid forties would not necessarily make
a great caregiver. Always look at the qualifications
of each and every caregiver in the child care
center. A person who has additional qualifications
such as a degree in education and training
would be more suited. Also inquire if the
caregivers attend any additional seminars
and workshops to improve their skills.
- Look for accredited
child care centers. These are the ones that
meet standards of child care and thus are
more qualified to handle your children. There
are numerous accredited centers throughout
the United States. 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.
While there are
plenty of options to consider while choosing
your child care center, you should stick to
these basics. Remember, choosing someone to
care for your child is a big responsibility
and one of the most important decisions you
will make as a parent.
Copyright
2001, 2004. All rights reserved. Any reproduction
of this article in whole or in part without
written or verbal permission is strictly prohibited.
For information about reprinting this article,
contact the copyright owner: Vanessa Rasmussen,
Ph.D, Starting a Day Care Center, http://www.startingadaycarecenter.com.
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