Finding the Right Child Care Program for You and Your Child

Choosing child care for your little one can be a daunting experience. Whether youre looking for an in-home provider, a child care center, or a preschool, there are many questions that parents should ask.

According to Katrina Ball, Child Care resource and Referral Manager with The Family Conservancy in Kansas City, there are many tips to help parents find the right care for their child. While some basic considerations such as location, staff, training, fees and safety are important, a parents instinct is essential.

A lot of times it is just finding someone the parents feel comfortable with and the child is also comfortable with, she said.

For the Benz family, finding the perfect center meant starting six months before the birth of their child. The couple began by putting their names on several waiting lists and when they narrowed down their search, they made several unannounced visits.

Even today, the visits have continued and they make sure they stayed involved.

We feel comfortable with the day care, but we regularly call and check on her if weve got the slightest concern that she may not be feeling well, says Benz. I feel comfortable popping in at any time, which I still do occasionally.

Benz says communication is also key.

I make sure I regularly communicate with her teachers by sending them notes about things like new foods she is trying, or the fact that Im trying to teach her baby sign language and to please try using it with her at day care, she says.

While Sara Stephenson knew her son would attend a particular church-based center where her husband works, being prepared made the transition much easier.

We went and toured the facility before our son was born and talked to other parents who have had infants in the nursery room, she says. They also let us do a trial run the week before our son started attending. We left him there for half a day so we could all get used to the change.

Whether it be a small in-home setting, or a larger center, a parents comfort level is significant in finding the situation that works for the entire family. To help you get started, below is a list of helpful tips when doing your search.

1)      Visit several sites. Taking the time to visit more than one center will help you become familiar with different facilities, competitive pricing, how a program is run and if you feel comfortable with the center.

2)      Whats best for your child? Some children do better in a small home setting or others excel in a center. Also consider the centers hours of operation and what will work best around your work schedule.

3)      Check out teacher training. Whether it be a home setting or a care center, it is essential that teachers have had CPR training at the least. While a degree may not be necessary, find out if they have had any child development training.

4)      Ask for a background check. In both Missouri and Kansas, background checks are required for both providers and centers. See below on how to obtain a check in Missouri or Kansas.

5)      Ask for referrals. Organizations such as The Family Conservancy (www.childcaresource.org or (913) 573-2273) can refer parents to providers or centers in the metropolitan area. The Conservancy is also a resource if parents have developmental questions, in need of assistance for a child with special needs, counseling, or parental training. The National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (www.naccrra.org) can also provide referral services for parents.

6)      Accreditation and Licensing. National organizations such as the National Association for Educating Young Children (www.naeyc.org) and the National Association for Family Child Care (www.nafcc.org) have child care accreditation programs so that they have the training and skills to work with your children. Both providers and centers can be accredited.

While accreditation refers to the standard of learning, licensing refers to the health, safety and welfare of a child. In the state of Missouri, the Missouri Department of Health Bureau of Child Care oversees licensing and in Kansas, the Department of Health and Environment works closely with local county health departments.

7)      Stay involved. When you have settled on a provider or center, drop in and visit so you can see the teachers, center and your child involved in their day-to-day activities. This will not only hopefully remind you that you have chosen the right place for your child, but will also help keep you visible to your childs provider(s).

sidebars:

Background checks:

Missouri (Cass, Clay, Jackson, Layfatte, Ray and Platte Counties): contact the Department of Health at 816.350.5450. Bates County 417.895.6541; Saline County 573.751.2891. Or, visit the Family Care Safety Registry at: DHSS.mo.gov/FCSR.

Kansas: Parents must submit request in writing to the KS Department of Health by first calling 785.296.1270.

Fast Facts:

• The quality of care affects a childs ability to think, speak and learn.
• The first three years are critical to brain development.
• According to the NAEYC, there are 141 centers in the metro area and 54 family child care providers.
• Five million children younger than three are in child care while parents work.
• Everyday 13 million pre-schoolers, including six million infants and toddlers are in child care.
• More than half of moms return to work before their childs first birthday.

Facts gathered from ChildCareSource.org.

Amy Castillo is a freelance writer who lives in Kansas City, Mo., where she and her husband Wil are raising their first daughter, Elisa.