Everyone wants to make sure their children feel loved and cared for, whether that is at home or in childcare. When the time comes for a child to attend a day care provision outside of the home, it can be a stressful and worrying time as parents try to find a family day care that best suits both their own needs and those of their child. Finding the right day care centre for you and your child doesn't have to be stressful, as these tips will help you to choose the right provision for your needs.
Write a list:
Or, even better, create a spreadsheet. Decide on the area that you need the day care centre to be within in; this might be a certain distance from your house or perhaps on the route from your home to your place of work. Use the internet, local listings and advertisements to find day care centres within this area. Once you have a list of geographically viable options, it is worth calling around to find out further information about the placements to add to your list: what hours is the day care centre open? What is the ratio of children to adults in the setting? What is the daily or hourly cost of child care in provision? Use this research to create a document that includes all of the necessary information regarding the potential day care centres for your child.
Word-of-mouth recommendations:
When it comes to something as precious as your child, there really can be no better way to choose a day care centre than by recommendation from someone you trust. When approaching friends and family for advice on choosing a day care centre, be sure to ask about the activities their child takes part in at the day care centre and how long it took for their child to settle in and feel comfortable in the setting.
Make a visit:
Whilst it is possible to find out a lot of information about a day care centre online and via word of mouth, nothing will give you as much knowledge about a provision as an in-person visit. Narrow your shortlist down to the top three day care centres and organise to visit each of these settings for a session. Do not take your child for the initial visits, as this is the time for you to ask questions and find out more information, and having your child accompany you may be distracting. However, once you have made a choice — or perhaps narrowed your list down to two potential places — take your child to visit the setting; watch how the staff interact with your child and how your child settles into the space.
It can be difficult to leave your child in a day care centre for the first time, but by taking time to choose the right day care centre for you and your child, you will be able to confidently leave your child in the setting, knowing that you have made the right choice for the whole family.
Share