Choosing a child care provider
The many day care options may seem overwhelming at first. But by taking a systematic approach to choosing child care, you’ll be doing your best to ensure that your precious little one will be in good hands.
How to get started
Before you make any decisions, you need to do a little research. Investigate what kind of day care is available: A nanny, provider who works out of a family home, or a day care center.
Then decide which of these options you would like to consider.
- Ask people you know and trust for referrals to good child care providers. Ask your friends, relatives, pediatrician, and those at your place of worship. You also can conduct a search through local referral or social service agencies, a child care council, or other nonprofit child care advocacy group in your area.
- Conduct phone interviews to pare down the initial field. Make a list of questions to ask, make several copies, and fill in the answers for each interview. Compare the answers to narrow your choices.
- Once you’ve narrowed the list, set up an interview or on-site tour during business hours with each candidate... Make notes during each interview or site visit.. Refer to your notes to choose the providers that seem most promising. Even if you’re more of a "gut" decider, checklists can help substantiate your intuition.
Making the final decision
Handing over your child to a stranger can be one of the most difficult things you ever do. To help make the right choice, let your baby try out a potential day care provider. Spend a few hours with the provider for two or three days before you make your final decision.
Did you know?
If you’re looking at a larger day care setting, you can see what it’s like by volunteering to help out before the baby arrives. This allows you to see the center in action and evaluate whether it’s right for your child.
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