PARENTS

PARENTS

- a valuable website for parents with child-related information
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What is Good Child Care? Good child care requires three important things: 1. A provider who provides your child with care, guidance & works with you/your family to make sure your child grows & learns in the best way possible. 2. A setting that keeps your child safe and healthy. 3. Activities that are suited to your child's stage of growth and help them develop mentally, physically, socially and emotionally.	What type of Provider would be best? Look over our checklists before meeting a provider... A good provider is well-trained, warm and loving towards children. The provider should encourage the children's interests and stimulate them to explore and discover new things. When you interview providers, you'll want to find out about their training, experience and their attitude toward child rearing, guidance and discipline.
Accreditation... What does it mean for you and your child? Accredited homes and centers voluntarily measure up to standards of quality that have been established by state and national child care organizations. Programs that are accredited have gone beyond minimum licensing standards and have made a commitment to provide the kind of care, attention and stimulating activities that you and your children require. If a provider you are considering isn't accredited, be sure to ask if they are working toward that goal.	*Health and Safety concerns* Quality child care providers make health and safety a top priority. Just a few things you want to be sure to ask about are how a provider diapers infants, prepares food, how they clean and disinfect toys and if they have a first aid kit. You can also ask to see their policies about hand-washing, sick children and disciplinary actions. Our checklists will also give you some other questions related to health and safety.
Caregiver Education & Turnover Caregivers with degrees and/or special training in working with children will be better able to help your child learn. You'll want to ask if the caregivers attend classes and workshops. Some staff and providers are required to become certified in CPR, child abuse, etc. as well as attend yearly training - see education for more details. You can also ask how long caregivers have been at the center or providing care in their homes. It's best if children stay with the same caregiver at least a year. Caregivers who come and go make it hard on your child. Getting used to new caregivers takes time and energy that could be spent on learning new things.	Family Involvement The work isn't over when you find care for your child. You and your child’s caregiver are partners now. Here are some ways to be involved: have parent and caregiver meetings and ask questions; offer to volunteer your time; visit to read books to the children; attend special events. If you can’t get time off from work during the day, you can still check in at drop-off and pick-up times. Ask the caregiver how things are going and how your child is doing. Visiting and participating in events at your child’s provider sends a strong message - it tells your child and your child’s caregiver that you think what your child is doing and learning is important.
Group Size & Ratios - visit Rules & Regulations for more details Ohio's child care laws set minimum standards for the number of children a provider can care for. It's important for parents to be aware of this when meeting and selecting a provider. Knowing what kind of environment you want for your child will help you to better understand the impact of group sizes and ratios.	What will the cost of care be? Child care costs can vary, depending on the type of care, the days and hours you need care, the ages of children and the quality of each program. You should investigate the costs of different kinds of child care available, including the costs of transportation for your child to and from the child care setting. You'll also want to find out if your family qualifies for local, state or federal financial assistance to help in paying for your child care costs.