Child care plays a major role in your child's emotional, intellectual and physical growth, not to mention your peace of mind. To choose child care wisely you need an awareness of what quality child care is, how to recognize it, and how to find it.

Finding quality child care is a big issue and is not an easy task for parents. Your children are your most precious possessions, and society・s most precious resources. The quality of child care varies greatly and price is not always an indicator of good child care. In essence, you're looking for a mommy or daddy substitute; someone who will nurture, love, cuddle, play with and care for your baby in your stead. If you're returning to work, start thinking about child care soon after your baby's born; or even as early as your second trimester if you live in a big city or anyplace where child care is limited. It takes time to find the right child care situation for your baby, and competition for the best providers can be intense. This article will guide you on what things you should look for, and on the questions you should ask when searching for a child care provider for your child.

You probably began your search for the perfect child care program early, perhaps even before your baby was born. You've talked with your friends. You've visited programs at your workplace and in the neighborhood. You've read about good infant care programs and the best preschool programs. Now it's time to enroll your baby. How can you be sure you're making the right choice?

First, decide what kind of care you want for your child. There are basically two types of childcare; Home based and Center based. Of course, first you must find a childcare provider in your area that is affordable and convenient for you. Two good ways to locate a provider is by word of mouth or through the internet. The internet will provide you with informative websites of both home based (：Family Daycare；) and Center run business・s. With the internet, all you have to do is type in, ：Daycare； plus the city you live in. An example would be: ：Daycare + Louisville；. Then hit the search button. Parents can also use one of several reputable childcare referral services, such as Janine Mura・s Child Care Finder, which operates right here in Louisville.

Child Care Finders' services include a personal consultation where they invite you to share as many of your needs and preferences as you like, to help locate the best fit. Their database of licensed child care providers includes over 500 child care centers and family child care homes in the greater Louisville area.

But even when using a referral service or are being referred by a friend, parents MUST visit the facility themselves, and may wish to bring the child along as well. Beware of the provider who does not acknowledge the child during the interview.

Before choosing a day care environment, parents should be familiar with the state licensure regulations for child care. These can be found through such agencies as The National Network for Child Care (www.nncc.org). Parents should also check references and observe the caregivers with the child. After locating a provider that seems to fit your needs and is in a convenient location, next you must then schedule a time to stop by and visit the facility first hand and speak with the provider directly. If you have chosen a Child Care Center, you will want to speak to both the Director and the childcare provider. Don・t forget to bring a list of all the questions you will need to ask. This works better than trying to remember them all. Just as an aside; this is also important when visiting your child・s pediatrician.

Child and adolescent psychiatrists suggest that parents seek day care services with:

Choosing quality child care for your child involves being observant and asking plenty of questions. A good child care center should have a welcoming, safe and nurturing environment. Ask your self; does this appear to be a place your child would enjoy. Do you feel comfortable using this program.

Look for such things as: Is the provider's license posted or available? Does the environment appear clean and safe for children? Do some of the children appear to be ill. Does the caregiver appear to have a positive and patient attitude toward children? Is the interaction between child and caregiver one of mutual respect and enjoyable for all? Does the caregiver get down to the children's eye level when talking? Does the caregiver sit with the children, rather than far away from them ? If infants are present, does the provider hold them while they are being fed? Is there sufficient equipment for all children to play with? Is there sufficient staff for the number of children being cared for? Are children kept busy with fun and developmentally appropriate activities? Are there smoke alarms and an emergency disaster plan posted?

Use your ears: Do the children sound happy and involved? Is the sound level appropriate? Is it either too quiet or too chaotic? Does the caregiver listen closely to each child and use positive language when speaking with the children? This is very important because a speaking caregiver, who functions as a child・s ：social partner；, is one who engages the child in verbal exchanges linked to daily events and experiences. To encourage the development of language, a good caregiver will be skilled in verbal communication, as observed in interactions between caregiver and child. With infants communication starts with the response to and encouragement of soft infant sounds. The speech of the caregiver is one of the principal channels through which the child learns about themselves, others, and the world that they live in. Although adults speaking to children teach the children facts, the social and emotional communications and the atmosphere of the exchange are equally important in the child・s learning and development.

The interviewing process is where you determine, through a well worked out list of questions, whether or not a particular center or caregiver is right for your family. And by checking references thoroughly you verify your choice and screen out the bad from the good. After all your child's safety and well being is at stake here.

Ask questions of staff as well as the Director. Some important questions to ask are: If there is no license posted, ask if they have a license. Are employees checked for crimes against children prior to employment. What training and experience does the caregiver have? Are employees required to maintain a minimum number of continuing education hours on a yearly basis. Does the training include first aid and CPR? Will the same provider be caring for your child on a daily basis? How does the caregiver deal with behavior? What is her philosophy on discipline? Does she use gentle redirection, positive reinforcement, or time-out? Do her methods closely resemble those of your own? All caregivers should use positive reinforcement and re-direction. There should never be any physical punishment or threat of physical punishment. This also should be stated in the parent handbook. Co-operation and frequent communication between parents and staff provides consistency and promotes a good self image within the child. Will you be regularly informed of your child's progress and daycare experiences? Are general program policies and procedures available to you in writing? Will they provide you with a list of parents that you can contact for references?

Are you welcome to drop in unannounced? Is there an open door policy for parents? And are parents encouraged to participate in the center・s activities. This is important because the best assurance for the success of your child・s experiences is through the close co-operation, interaction, and understanding of both parents and staff. If you need to speak to a staff member or teacher, will they set up a parent teacher conference with you at your convenience?

On what dates is the site closed, i.e., for holidays? Do children go on field trips? If so, who drives and what vehicles are used? How much ( if any) time do children spend watching television or videos? If there are videos, are they educational and age appropriate? Are they the kind of videos that you would watch with your child at home? How often are the toys and equipment cleaned. What happens in case of a medical emergency with your child? How does the caregiver handle prescribed medicine for children? Agree with your child care provider in advance about when you can and cannot bring a sick child. Never bring a child whom you know is not feeling well enough to be away from home and family. This should be outlined in the parent・s handbook. Stop by in the afternoon and speak to the parents as they pick up their children for even more information.

Ask for a parent's handbook and read it thoroughly. Is the curriculum planned for the children with the goal of helping them in their mental, emotional, social and physical development. This is important because you as a parent want more than just a caregiver to watch your child. Caregivers should be more than baby sitters. Through a well planned curriculum, the childcare provider should help to educate your child and help them grow and develop both mentally and emotionally. This is important because these children are the custodians of our future. Those who provide child care and education must require of themselves that they be clear about their program. While child care is much more than just a business,at times it must be viewed as a business; and from a business stand point child care is a ：delivery of services； involving a contractual relationship between provider and consumer. A written plan helps to particularize the service and contributes to specific and responsible operations that are conducive to sound child development and safety practices, and to positive consumer relations.

In a high quality child care facility, be it home-based or center-based, there will be an established planned program of activities that are based on the development of the child at each stage of early childhood to encourage normal developmental progress. There will be a written plan that sets out the basic elements from which the daily program is to be built.

The facility activities should include structured and unstructured times and teacher/provider-directed and child-initiated experiences. A planned but flexible program should be in place, which allows children the opportunity to make decisions about their activities, which in turn fosters independence and creative expression.

There should be guided free play as well as structured class time. There should be outings and age appropriate field trips for the older children. The best child care has structured schedules that include plenty of time for physical activities, quiet time (including daily reading sessions for groups and individuals), group programs, individual activities, meals, snacks, free time and limited (if any)TV. A well-thought-out curriculum stimulates your child's development and makes their daily life more fun. Look for a facility with a wide range of age-appropriate toys that will encourage your child's development and, as the child gets older, stimulate creative, imaginative play. Look for a facility with an outdoor play area. Children should have the opportunity to play outdoor activities such as running, jumping, and skipping that are good for them physically, mentally, and socially. The importance of play for the cognitive development, for maintaining an affective and intellectual equilibrium, and for creating and testing new capacities is well recognized in early childhood development. Play involves a balance of action and symbolization and of feeling and thinking.

Parents should seek a caregiver who is self-confident, affectionate and comfortable with the children. The caregiver should be able to encourage social skills and positive behavior, and set limits on negative ones. Parents should be sensitive to the caregiver's capacity to relate to children of different ages. Some individuals can work well only with children at a specific stage of development. High quality child care facilities should have well trained and experienced staff, ready to learn and respond to your child's individual needs.

Caregivers should be well informed. They should understand early childhood development and have CPR and other emergency training. Good caregivers will ask detailed questions about your child's health and help determine if their site is right for you. Explain clearly and carefully your wishes and expectations about how your child will be cared for. Also provide updates on problems and progress that your child is making. Give the provider information about your child's routine, activities and preferences. Good communication helps parents and providers work together in the best interest of children. Have a heart-to-heart with the caregiver about your parenting style and your disciplinary principles, and make sure that their ideals are similar. The last thing your child needs is conflicting information. The more continuity a child has in their daily schedule, the easier their lives will be.

Ask to see the facility's license and any credentials, then double-check with a call to your local community care licensing office to learn if there are substantiated complaints. Of course, a current license isn't a guarantee of quality care - that's why you have to evaluate the caregivers themselves.

A good child care facility is clean and sanitary. Floors, walks, walls, and the kitchen area should be clean, food preparation areas should be far from toilets and diaper changing stations, trash should always be covered, and the building should be adequately heated, lit, and ventilated. Caregivers should wash their hands regularly, and after every diaper change.

Look for plenty of space. Make sure the child care facility follows the basic safety rules. Toys and play equipment should be in good condition. All medicines and other hazardous substances should be out of reach of children. Bedding should always be freshly changed. Smoke detectors should be in place and heaters should be covered or otherwise protected. A first aid kit and fire extinguisher should be available, and all standard child proofing techniques should be used (covered outlets, safety gates, door latches, etc.) The facility should be secure so that strangers can't walk in off the streets.

There must be a specific policy and procedure regarding arrival and departure of children. Children should not be allowed to be dropped off at the door. People who are sent to pick up your child should be asked to provide a picture I.D. Expect the provider to only release a child to the parents or legal guardian(s) of the child, or to individuals authorized to pick up the child whom the parent/guardian has listed on the Child Release (：Pick up； list) Authorization and Custody Information Form. The childcare provider should not release a child to a minor under ANY circumstances. If only one parent has custody of the child and the other is not authorized to pick up the child, the parent must instruct the provider of this fact, and must provide her with a certified copy of the court order confirming that one parent does not have visitation rights. If an unauthorized person arrives at the provider's facility to pick up a child, the provider should attempt to notify you, the parent(s), immediately.

For this to be a good program for your child, it also has to work for you and your family. Is it convenient? Does it fit with your schedule? Are its fee structures flexible and reasonable? Can the caregivers provide a support system for you and your baby? It may take some time but you want to develop a partnership of good care for your child.

Before you make a final decision, you and your child should visit for several hours on several different days. After your child is enrolled, continue to visit. Using your best instincts, make sure your baby is comfortable, safe, and well cared for.

A high quality childcare provider must understand and be able to manage the child・s experience of separation anxiety that is common in the beginning. This should be accomplished by:

Parents, too, experience pain at separation, and the younger the child, the more intense the pain. The childcare facility should help parents with separation by:

Finally avoid Centers where: Parents are limited to visiting hours and are not encouraged to drop in unannounced. Caregivers are unwilling or unable to tell you about your child's day. The caregivers do not act as if they enjoy their work. Health and safety concerns are not attended to, for example, hands are not washed after diapering and before meal times. License is expired. References from current parents are not available. The provider seems more interested in the money rather than the children. The provider does not acknowledge the child during the interview. The children are not offered a wide variety of activities and/or toys. The facility is poorly maintained and/or cluttered. The inside of the home or facility is dark or dreary.The building or home smells of cigarette smoke. The home does not have adequate napping space/equipment. The provider lives near a busy street and does not have a fenced in yard. The children are left unattended outside. The children are required to stay in one small area of the home. The parent feels the provider cares for too many children. Toys are not visible during the interview, or broken toys or other dangerous items are laying around. Children are not allowed on the furniture. Any pets not properly restrained and/or controlled. Pets on the premises that your child is allergic to. The provider does not present her/himself in a professional manner, or has an unfriendly telephone manner. A single provider who carries on a phone conversation with children crying in the background. The provider uses inappropriate language around the children. The cleanliness of the provider and the children in their care does not meet with the standards of the parent. Other children in the providers care are dirty during interview.The contract and policies are not professionally written.This does not mean that the contract and polices must appear to have been written by an attorney, but only that they are neat, orderly and type written. With clear and understandable wording. The provider has too many rules for young children and seems inflexible with behavioral management techniques, potty training schedule, napping schedule, etc.

In your search, you may find that the best programs and caregivers are wonderful-but under-funded and over-crowded. The lack of funding for early childcare is a national tragedy. Become an advocate for providing excellent, affordable care for all children.

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