For most parents, finding childcare is something that maybe happen as early as six weeks after having your child. It can seem overwhelming and a bit sad at the thought of leaving your child in the care of others.
While there will never be a one-size -fits all approach to finding care; there are ways to help in narrowing down some decisions when it comes to choosing “the one”
First, you should question and decide what type of daycare setting you are most comfortable with. While you may not know, there are many to choose from including:
Family day homes
Daycare centers
Home- daycares
Certified pre-schools
Religious (exempt) daycares
Depending on the state you’re in, there could be even more options. Decide what’s most important to you, do you want to be in the comfort of someone’s home? Would you prefer a daycare center with more staff and children? Or are you looking for a center that aligns with your religious beliefs?
These are questions to ask yourself BEFORE your search.
Next, in most states you can go to your social services website and look into daycares in your area, it will show you any licensing violations and any pertinent information that could be helpful to you. If you are in the state of Virginia, you can use this link.
Try and take notes, and create a list of your top picks that you would like to visit in-person. While it could seem nice to pop-in and do a tour without scheduling to see how the center operates without notice, it can disrupt learning hours. For example if you choose to come at noon and it happens to be a classroom nap-time, you won’t get the feel for the classroom environment. I would recommend scheduling a time to see the facility so that you can have a full tour and ask the questions that are important to you.
Remember, only YOU know what’s important to YOU, and don’t be afraid to simply ask
. Here are some sample questions that could help you when on a tour:
What is the teacher to student- ratio in this classroom?
How do teachers and administrative staff respond to a child who may be breaking the rules?
If a classroom has been exposed to a communicable illness, what happens next?
Are parents allowed to visit or call during the day to check on their child? (Some daycares may have apps that they use to send pictures and communicate the child’s daily plan, that parents can see at any time).
How do you ensure the safety of the children in your care?
Are all staff CPR /first-aid and MAT trained?
Something to think about..
(For non-exempt centers) religious centers, and certain other centers, they are granted licensing exemption. With that being said; some still agree to licensing standards to stay up to par with other centers. For these centers, you can ask how their standards are similar and different from childcare centers.
Remember, you are doing a great job and while finding childcare can seem extremely overwhelming, it can be less stressful with these tips to prepare you to get your questions answered!
Tip
We all know that daycares can be expensive, here are some resources you can use in the state of Virginia, to see if you qualify for any assistance:
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