When Your Child Goes to Child Care
Are you a parent with a new job? If so, you want to find the best possible child care program and caregiver for your child while you are at work. What do you need to look for? Here are some guidelines:
- Decide if your child will do better in a center program or a smaller family home program. Some children do better in larger programs and others in a smaller or home setting.
- Visit several programs. Look around and ask questions.
- Is the program registered or certified by the state? If not, find out why.
- Find a well-trained caregiver who has experience with children the same age as your child.
- The caregiver should be cheerful, patient, loving, and flexible.
- Find out if parents are welcome to drop in, unannounced, to visit.
- Look for a bright, clean facility with play equipment in good repair.
- See if the daily schedule is posted for parents to see.
- Can you afford the rates? See when payments are due. Are there late fees?
- Check on sick day and vacation policies.
- Find out if the child care schedule will work with your schedule. Figure in travel time to and from work.
- Be sure you feel good about a program before enrolling your child. If not, keep on looking.
The Pennsylvania State University Cooperative Extension Better Kid Care Program
has information on children's issues for early childhood educators, child
care providers, and parents on the Better Kid Care Web site at: www.betterkidcare.psu.edu.
Getting Ready for Child Care
If you have enrolled your child in a child care program for the first time, here are some things to do before starting:
- Read some books to your child about going to child care.
- Take your child with you to visit the program. You might want to leave your child there for a short time to become familiar with the caregiver and other children before the first full day.
- Read over the program policies and ask questions about any policy or rule you do not understand.
- Make sure your child has the required immunizations and health exam.
- List your work and home phone numbers and have a list of emergency contacts. The caregiver should know where to reach you at all times.
- Provide information about your family health care provider and any medical conditions that the caregiver needs to know about to be able to care for your child properly.
- Make sure to provide an extra set of clothing, including underwear. If you have an infant, provide diapers, formula, and baby food.
- Have a back-up plan for child care in case your child or the caregiver becomes ill.
The Pennsylvania State University Cooperative Extension Better Kid Care Program has information on children's issues for early childhood educators, child care providers, and parents on the Better Kid Care Web site at: www.betterkidcare.psu.edu.
- # -
Nancy Wilson, Better Kid Care Program Specialist
Penn State Better Kid Care Program
253 Easterly Parkway
State College, PA 16801
e-mail: naw6@psu.edu
Phone: 814-863-5880
Fax: 814-865-7893
