Choosing The Best Child Care

Choosing where to place your child and with whom can be one of the most difficult choices for a parent.Almost every week, we read/heard a lot about child abuse in newspaper, TV, internet etc..etc.. It was unthinkable if we let anything bad hapend to our children..so here is the question you should ask yourself whenever you want to make a choice..about the best child care center/ babysitter….

• How many staff members are there and are there enough to adequately supervise the children?

• Are the staff members CPR and First Aid certified? What other qualifications do the staff members have?

• If this is a child care home, are there any other adults or children in the home during the hours of operation?

• Is the area clean and safe with clear exits in case of emergency? Is there a clearly posted emergency exit plan or can the staff member sufficiently demonstrate the exit strategy?

• Are first aid supplies and fire extinguishers readily available?

• What kind of discipline philosophy is followed at the child care facility (verbal warnings, time-out)?

• Are there stairs? Are the stairs gated to prevent accidents and falls?

• Are precautions taken to maximize safety such as covering outlets, putting latches on drawers and cabinets where chemicals or medications are stored?

• Are toys, games, and lay areas clean and how often are they cleaned? What chemicals or method of cleaning is used to clean the toys, games, and play areas?

• Are toys appropriate for the age of the child and are the toys separated by age so that younger children do not have access to small objects that can cause a choking hazard?

• Are there any weapons on the premises and where are they stored?

• If this is a child care home, are there any pets? If so, will children have contact with the pets? Are the pets current on rabies and vaccinations?

• Do children have access to clean toilets? Is there an area for handwashing with soap and individual paper towels for drying hands?

• If there is a pool, does the homeowner have a fence around the pool, a self-latching gate? What precautions are taken to ensure that a child cannot gain access to the pool?

• Playground equipment must be anchored and surrounded by a shock absorbing material.

• What types of meals and snacks are served? Are they nutritious? Does the child care center participate in the child care food program?

• What types of activities will your child be participating in? Are they educational and allow for playtime indoors and outdoors during the day? Do they go on any field trips, walks to a park, swimming and what precautions are taken to ensure safety if they do?

• Can the program adequately accommodate special needs and how so?

Childrens is God amazing gift and they should be protected and cherish with LOVE..Also check out my psoting about How to Save Child Care Cost.

Till then...