The Child Care Provider
How you evaluate a child care provider or teacher depends not only on your personal standards and preferences, but also on the age, temperament, and particular needs of your child.

Formal training in child development and early childhood education can vary widely among providers, ranging from no formal education to teaching credentials and Master's degrees. There are, however, important values that all high quality care providers share. They are warm people who love children and relate to them well. These providers always treat children with respect and are able to set behavioral limits without being punitive or damaging to the child's self-esteem. A good provider always welcomes a chance to form a cooperative working partnership with parents.

The best way to draw an accurate impression of a child care provider is to spend time observing the provider's interactions with children during a variety of activities.

Training and Staffing
What training and experience do providers have? Are there enough trained adults available to provide adequate supervision of every child? Early childhood education researchers have established that adult to child ratios, group size, and level of staff training will affect the quality of care and attention your child will receive.

How much turnover is there in the staff? High staff morale and low staff turnover benefit your child's development and well-being. Adequate compensation and working conditions for child care providers contribute to low staff turnover in programs.

Attitudes and Philosophy
What is the general atmosphere? Are the children's actions and voices appropriate for the activity or do they seem over-controlled or out-of-control? Children need freedom of expression; however, there should be some limits placed on their behavior.

Is each child valued as an individual? Children's moods and preferences differ. Some may choose quiet activities enjoyed alone or with one or two friends, while others may prefer active play within a larger group. Some may need help in pacing themselves or encouragement to try new things. The needs and wishes of each child should be respected as long as they are not disruptive to the group.

Does the program's philosophy agree with yours? Both you and your child will feel more secure if the teacher or care provider shares your values and respects your family, as well as your ethnic and cultural background. Some programs in our area offer bilingual instruction for children.

Child and Care Provider Interactions
Is the care provider's tone positive? With any group of children, there are often frustrations, arguments, tears, and even fights. The care provider's reactions to these behaviors are important. Negative comments tend to reinforce negative behavior, while positive comments and direction tend to support positive behavior.

A positive approach to teaching appropriate behavior is one in which children are recognized for their accomplishments and helped to learn from their mistakes by being given acceptable alternatives. A child's difficult feelings need to be acknowledged. Adults should be capable of helping children express anger in constructive and acceptable ways. Children should be encouraged to talk about their anger while, at the same time, prevented from hurting others. Skillful adults are also able to guide children in resolving their differences with each other.

Do the staff respond to children with understanding and sensitivity? Children need to be comforted and listened to when they are anxious or upset. Care providers should attempt to communicate at the child's eye-level.

Do the adults give straightforward information to the children? Young children deserve and benefit from truthful information conveyed in a kind manner. They respond better to changes in the daily activities when the teachers prepare them in advance.

Do children have opportunities for privacy? All children sometimes need to be alone to explore their environment in their own way and to make discoveries without intrusive directions from adults. Private areas should still be able to be visually supervised.

How are rewards and discipline used? Licensing regulations forbid any form of psychological, physical, or emotional abuse or punishment by child care providers. Discipline should be approached as teaching and guiding, as opposed to punishment. When adults display respect for children, they help them learn respect for the rights of others. Programs vary in the extent of behavioral limits they set for children, so check to see that the philosophy of the program you choose is similar to your own.

Communication Between Care Provider and Parent
Can you communicate easily with the care provider? Both you and your provider should feel comfortable in sharing your expectations of one another. Teachers and child care providers should encourage you to share information about your child and any change in family circumstances that could affect his or her behavior. They should also give you regular feedback about your child's day, his or her developmental progress, and any problems that he or she might be experiencing. Some child care programs may offer parenting workshops and resource materials.

Program Content
Are there regular daily routines for the children? Most young children feel more secure when they have set routines.

How are routines handled? Try to observe the way that daily routines, such as going to the toilet and hand washing, are handled. Are children allowed to move at their own pace or are they hurried through their tasks?

How are transitions handled? Children should be prepared in advance by adults when activities change, or the group moves from inside to the outside area. Picking up and putting away things should be a natural part of an activity. Sufficient time should be allotted for activities as well as for clean-up.

Is mealtime a pleasant, social activity? Do adults sit with the children and interact with them? In programs that provide meals, food should be nutritionally balanced. Children should be encouraged to try unfamiliar foods and permitted to serve themselves according to their abilities. Sufficient time should be allowed for meals. Care providers should be alert to any allergies or special dietary needs.

How is naptime handled? Normal fears and anxieties of young children tend to surface at naptime, especially during the child's initial adjustment to a new environment. Care providers should be available to sit with children who may need comforting or help to settle down to sleep. Even if you can't observe naptime, you can ask questions about napping practices and let the staff know what is most soothing for your child.

Are there age-appropriate activities that encourage mental and physical development? A variety of blocks, puzzles, manipulative toys, and other sturdy materials should be readily accessible to the children. A variety of books should be available for children to look at on their own, and have read to them. All learning materials should be safe and appropriate for your child's age. Educational research shows that young children learn best through "hands-on" experiential activities.

Are creative, expressive materials available? Clay, playdough, paint, and other "action" materials (water and sand, etc.) help children express feelings in appropriate, acceptable ways, and also aid in developing creativity and problem-solving skills.

Can children enjoy dramatic play? Dress-up clothes, toy stoves and sinks, dolls and strollers, and other props help children re-create familiar environments, engage in role playing, and work through their feelings.

Is music a part of the program? Singing, moving to music, and playing musical instruments are pleasurable ways for children to express themselves and to develop related language and physical skills.

Is there a safe and challenging outdoor play environment? Children should have daily access to outdoor play areas with adequate supervision.

Are program activities balanced? Vigorous activity should be followed by quiet activities. Free play can be alternated with more structured activities, such as group story time or music time. Find out how much of a part, if any, television or video viewing has in the program.

Is there room for flexibility? Are children encouraged to share special occasions such as a new baby in the family? A birthday? A trip? A visit by grandparents? Are staff members able to adapt the program to changes of weather, holidays, and children's special interests? Careful planning of activities is important, but the spontaneity and special needs of children should not be sacrificed simply to follow a lesson plan.

The Physical Environment
Is the environment child-oriented? The environment should be colorful, inviting, well-lit, and well ventilated. Activity areas should be orderly enough to foster constructive play, but not so orderly as to be restrictive. Ideally, different spaces should be designated for quiet play (art, reading), active play (blocks, table toys, dramatic play), and safe outdoor activities (movement games, nature study). Children should have access to play materials that are age-appropriate.

Is the environment clean and safe? Child care environments should maintain high standards of cleanliness, particularly in eating, toileting, and napping areas. Sinks for food preparation and diaper changing should be separate.

The child care environment should be free of hazards and stocked with equipment and supplies to handle accidents and emergencies when they occur; all centers/family day care homes should be maintained in accordance with existing fire and health department standards. Equipment should be well-maintained. Building and playground security should be adequate to assure children¹s safety.

Are program health and safety procedures in writing and followed by staff providers? Specific policies and procedures should exist with regard to health evaluation prior to admission, exclusion guidelines for illness, food handling, vehicle safety, and emergency first aid and evacuation plans. All child care providers and program support staff should follow strict sanitary disinfecting of feeding and diapering areas and washable toys. Routine hand-washing procedures should be mandatory for adults and children.

Staff should receive basic training to recognize and prevent the spread of infectious diseases; additional training in first aid and infant and child CPR is also important.

Procedures should be in place to sign children in and out of program care. Staff should know who has permission to sign a child out. Please refer to the child care checklists found on the following pages for more specific items to look for when evaluating programs you are considering.

Special Considerations for Infants and Toddlers
Does the care provider have knowledge and experience related specifically to infants and toddlers? Infants and toddlers need frequent and reassuring physical and verbal responses from care providers who understand their particular developmental needs and individual temperaments. For this reason, infants and toddlers must be cared for in smaller groups.

Consistency of care providers is especially important for a rapidly developing infant or toddler. The environment should be safe and challenging but not overly stimulating. Care providers should allow an infant freedom of movement to develop motor skills and not keep the infant confined to seats, swings, and cribs.

It is helpful when observations are recorded for each child's play activities, eating, feeding and diapering/toileting. Some care providers keep written notations on a clipboard for each child, others may maintain communication through a journal that travels between the center and a home.

Preparing Your Child for Child Care
Children, like adults, need time to adjust to new situations. Once you have made your choice try to prepare your child for the change. Here are some suggestions:

When Entering Child Care:

• Talk about where the child is going and why.
• Tell your child about the new people he or she will meet and things he or she can do with them.
• Visit the family day care home or center together before the new arrangement begins, or have a new in-home provider visit you.
• Find out what expectations and restrictions the provider might have, such as bottles and pacifiers being restricted to naptimes only; talk with your child about them in advance.
• Allow your child to bring along a favorite object (toy, blanket, photo) to ease the transition.
• When you leave, let your child know you are going, and when you will return. Remember that your feelings about the child care you've chosen will have a decided effect on your child's adjustment to the new situation.

When Changing Child Care:

• If it becomes necessary to change your child care arrangement allow your child time to say good-bye to care providers and the other children. You may even want to hold a small farewell party.
• Collect photos of your children and special people from each of their child care arrangements.

 

Other Child Care Topics:
Selecting the Best Care for Your Child; Beginning Your Search; Types of Child Care; Sick Child Care; Care for School-Age Children; Financial Matters; Child Care Licensing Information; Special Concerns About Protecting Your Child; Evaluating Child Care Programs; Child Care Evaluation Checklist; Child Care Resources, Referral Agencies and Services in Bay Area Counties; Licensing Agencies and Child Protective Services