Children's healthy development depends on safe and positive experiences when they are very young. If you work or go to school, you want to know that your child is in good hands while you are away. You may choose in-home care, where the caregiver comes to your home. Or your child might go to the caregiver's home. Finally, there are child care centers. You need to choose the one that works for your family.

More and more, research tells us that our children’s healthy development depends on safe and positive experiences during the first few years of life. If you are a parent who works during these early years, choosing good child care is one of the most important decisions you will ever make for your child. To help you make the right choice for your child, researchers have identified 13 guidelines to think about when choosing a child care program. You might want to visit several different child care programs, either centers or family child care homes, before you decide which one is best for your family. Call each child care program and schedule an appointment for your visit. Once you are there, stay for at least an hour to watch activities, check the surroundings, and ask questions. Research shows that if a program follows guidelines, it is more likely to be a safe and healthy place for your child.

Supervision

• Are children supervised at all times, even when they are sleeping?
• How do the caregivers discipline children?

Handwashing and Diapering

• Do all caregivers and children wash their hands often, especially before eating and after using the bathroom or changing diapers?
• Is the place where diapers are changed clean?
• Do caregivers always keep a hand on the child while diapering?
• Do caregivers remove the soiled diaper without dirtying any surface not already in contact with stool or urine?
• Do caregivers clean and sanitize the surface after finishing the changing process?

Director Qualifications

• Does the director of a child care center have a bachelor’s degree in a child-related field?
• Has the director worked in child care for at least 2 years?
• Does the director understand what children need to grow and learn?

Child:Staff Ratio and Group Size

• How many children are being cared for in the child care program?
• How many caregivers are there? The younger the children are, the more caregivers there should be. For example, one family home caregiver should only take care of two babies.

Emergency Plan

• Does the child care program have an emergency plan if a child is injured, sick, or lost?
• Does the child care program have first aid kits?
• Does the child care program have information about who to contact in an emergency?

Child Abuse

• Can caregivers be seen by others at all times, so a child is never alone with one caregiver?
• Have all caregivers gone through a background check?
• Have the caregivers been trained how to prevent child abuse, how to recognize signs of child abuse, and how to report suspected child abuse?

Playgrounds

• Is the playground inspected for safety often?
• Is the playground surrounded by a fence?
• If there is a sandbox, is it clean?
• Is the playground equipment safe, with no sharp edges, and kept in good shape?
• Are the soil and playground surfaces checked often for dangerous substances and hazards?
• Is equipment the right size and type for the age of children who use it?
  

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