Child Care Check List!

Childcare Checklist

• Make time. Finding the right child care option for you, your child and your family will take time. Don’t rush the process. Clarify your family’s values and goals. Your quest for quality child care begins at home.
• Make calls. Do your homework. Make use of free local referral services to locate prospective child care providers in your area. Be sure to find out whether the providers on your list have had any licensing or accreditation issues. Word-of-mouth is great advertising, but there’s no substitute for finding out what you need to know for yourself so that you can own your decision.
• Make a visit. Make at least one personal visit to each facility you are considering. While you’re there, observe the caregivers, other staff and children carefully, and write down your answers to a list of questions (see sidebar “Questions to Ask a Prospective Child Care Provider”) for later comparison to other facilities.
• Make a commitment. You and your chosen child care provider are partners in the welfare of your child. Careful, thoughtful evaluation of all the information you gather during your quest for quality child care will lead to positive outcomes.
• Stay involved. The moment you choose a child care provider, an ongoing relationship begins. Communicate with and meet your child care provider regularly. Plan to visit, volunteer and participate in the child care center’s activities as often as you can.
• Continue to evaluate. Needs, desires and goals will change as your child develops and as your family grows. Being clear about your family’s values and being involved in the child care provider’s activities will help you continually reassess the relationship you build with your child care provider over time.