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How to choose the best childcare center for your little one!
Deciding what childcare center is right for your family can be a daunting and confusing task- however there are some basics things that you can consider that will help you find the the right center.
Ratios – Adult to child ratios are very important. It is recommended that childcare centers have one adult for four infants, and one adult for ten four year olds. Does the center follow the bare minimum state standard, or do they have smaller ratios than what is required?
Supervision – Are children supervised at all times? Are there multiple caregivers present during the duration of the day?
Safety – Are toys safe and clean? Is the overall condition of the building and areas inside and outside clean? Are there proper procedures for checking into the building (such as visitors stopping at the front desk to get checked in)?
Program – Is there a daily schedule of set activities such as story time, play time, outside play time, learning etc.
Staff – Are the staff members nice to the children? Do they have qualifications like a bachelors degree in a child related field? Are the staff members comfortable there? Are there nurses there? (Included at the end of this page, is a research study demonstrating why having children in the care of qualified professionals is important! Studies have shown that there are more positive interactions between the qualified professional and the child when in care.)
With these basic questions- you should be able to find a childcare center that’s right for you. For more information and questions to ask when looking for childcare centers that are a right fit for your family, visit this website: https://www.childcareaware.org/child-care-center-checklist/
Scholarly Reference
Also, please find below a research study about caregivers’ interactions with children. This study shows that the higher the education (and better qualification) that the caregivers had, the more positive their interactions were rated with children.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0193397389900269