Child care – take your time, ask questions

Finding a child care provider can seem overwhelming. We recommend that you take your time, ask many questions, visit the facility/person frequently before making a final decision, and talk to other parents about their child care experiences.

Questions to ask yourself and the provider:

• What are the hours?
• What is the cost?
• Is the child care setting inviting, friendly and clean?
• Does the environment seem safe (appropriate toys, child safety equipment installed, etc.)?
• Where will my child sleep, and is the crib or bassinet up to modern safety standards?
• What are the qualifications and experience of the child care provider(s)?
• What do their references, or other parents, say about this provider?
• What is the ratio of children to adults?
• How many children are babies (that require more attention from the provider)?
• How many other children will there be at any given time?
• How does my child respond to the caregiver and setting?
• How is discipline handled?
• What measures are taken to keep germs under control?
• What are the child care provider’s rules or requirements?
• How will I get feedback on how my child is doing?
• Am I welcome to call or visit any time?
• Once my child has started, does he seem happy when I pick him up? Clean? Well fed?
• What kinds of foods, drinks are served? How often?
• Are there animals present (e.g. a dog that could bite)?
• Is there a safe, outdoor area for playtime?
• Are children driven anywhere (e.g. store, field trips)?
• Does the provider have a backup in case of illness?
• Is there learning time, pre-school curriculum offered?
• What kinds of activities, if any, are offered (e.g. music, art, story time)?
• Do any of the other children have behavior issues (hitting or biting) that would put other children at risk of injury?
• Do they accept children with special needs?
• What is my gut feeling? First impressions or gnawing intuitions are often correct.