How to Find the Best Child Care: Knowing Your Needs and Options

Choosing the best child care can be an overwhelming and difficult decision. Ultimately you are leaving your child in another's care so you want to insure that you are content with the decision and your choice of provider. The following resources will walk you through the types of providers and how to search for the best options for your family.

Making the Decision to Use Child Care

The first step in determining the best child care for your child is actually deciding that you do need help! Sometimes that choice is made for you. Perhaps you're a single mom or you need to go back to work to assist with family finances. Or maybe your career is important to you and you decide that you'd like to continue working. You may even be a stay-at-home mom and you just decide that you need an afternoon a week to have some "me" time and want to run errands.

After you've decided that you do need some sort of assistance, you'll need to calculate your exact requirements. Do you need four hours, two afternoons a week - or are you looking for full time child care? Are you flexible on some days/hours - or do you need exact times for your job? Do your hours fluctuate every week - or are they stable? Answering these questions will help you in establishing the schedule and will be one of the first bits of information you'll need to give a potential child care provider.

Determine Your Child Care Requirements

After you've made the decision to enlist the help of a child care provider, you need to determine what exactly you are looking for. First you need to decide if the child care provider should come to your home or if you are willing to travel. This will be determined by the hours you need (perhaps it's a mother's helper for only a couple hours a week) and by finances (a full time nanny is typically more expensive than taking your child to a child care facility).

If you will be taking your child outside the home you will then need to determine the type of child care environment you are looking for:

• A family child care home will provide care for a variety of children within the provider's home.
• Day care facilities may be held in private homes, facilities, or churches.
• Preschools or nursery schools enroll children under the age of five and typically have set schedules and programs for the children.

Choosing an In Home Mother's Helper, Babysitter, or Nanny

If you're looking to keep your child at home with supplemental child care, you probably won't have to look very far. Many parents ask around for referrals from their friends and family, or solicit their church or local schools for qualified individuals. When you begin interviewing potential applicants, you'll want to ask a variety of questions including the following:

• Do you have any formal early education training? (especially if you are looking for the provider to assist in teaching your child)
• Why did you leave your last job? (make sure to check references!)
• Why are you looking to work with young children?
• What is your policy for discipline? (make sure to discuss any disciplinary procedures that you follow, including time outs, etc).a tantrum over a toy someone else is playing with, what should the consequences be?)
• Have you taken a CPR course?
• Have you ever been in an emergency situation with a child and how did you handle it?
• What activities do you plan on introducing?
• How will you handle separation anxiety?

Along with your interview process, The International Nanny Association (INA) recommends that you conduct a criminal background check, which is usually done by most placement agencies.

Choosing Family Child Care Outside Your Home

Family child care homes will care for your children in their own home. These homes need to be licensed and they typically will care for up to seven children. This type of care is very popular for children under the age of three because parents want their child to be with a small amount of children. It can be beneficial to an only child, and can allow other children the experience of being with a variety of ages. The child care provider will usually engage in activities in the neighborhood - perhaps going to the park, local library, the zoo, or other child-friendly events. Family child care tends to be less structured and more conducive to flexible hours and days.

You'll want to make sure that the facility is licensed and carries adequate insurance. You will also want to solicit referrals and speak to other parents of children currently in the facility.

Choosing a Day Care Provider

A day care facility is typically held in a facility specifically designed for this situation - whether it is free standing, attached to a church or an elementary school. These child care centers typically serve a good number of children, separated by age. Their hours and days will vary, but they are usually strict in their requirements for days and times because they service a large amount of children. Day care providers must meet state licensing requirements.

Questions you should ask a potential day care facility include:

• Do you have a drop-in policy for parent visits?
• What is your sick child policy?
• How do you monitor children on the playground?
• What is the sign in/sign out policy?
• What is the background of the staff?
• How do you handle conflict among the children?

Choosing a Nursery School or Preschool Child Care Alternative

There are a variety of types, philosophies, and methodologies when it comes to preschools and nursery schools. Some schools follow an academic program, while others are more conducive to developmental play and exploration. Some follow a set methodology such as Montessori or Waldorf, while others use a combination of methods. It is important for you to research the schools within your area, determine their program, and see whether it fits your ideas and ideals. In my personal journey to place my daughter in preschool, I had a tough time with this portion. I was very set in having her in a program, but there were none in our area. For a year I shuttled back and forth 30 minutes to take her to preschool for a couple of hours twice a week! I've since cut back on my strict requirements and she's blossomed as well.

Just as with a daycare provider, you'll want to ask a potential preschool a variety of questions, including:

• Do you have a drop-in policy for parent visits?
• What is your sick child policy?
• How do you monitor children on the playground?
• What is the sign in/sign out policy?
• What is the background of the teachers?
• How do you handle conflict among the children?
• Do the children need to be potty trained?
• How long has the school been operating?
• How are the classes structured (amount of children and how are they separated)?
• How do they handle children who excel or fall behind in specific areas?

Stay Involved

Once you've found the best child care provider for your child, the last step is to stay involved. You are now in partnership with your chosen provider and it's beneficial to you and your child for you to partake in a variety of activities including:

• Volunteer if your schedule allows it. You'll get to meet the other children and see how your child acts in his or her environment.
• Drop in from time to time. View your child from outside the door or window to see how they are adjusting and learning.
• Schedule parent-caregiver meetings on a regular basis.