Caring for children takes lots of time, energy, patience, and love. When you need quality child care, finding someone who is a good match for your child and your family is important. Young children are always watching and learning from adults. Parents are a child’s first teachers, but child care providers become important role models.

Things for Parents To Consider When Selecting a Child Care Provider
Child care facilities come in many different shapes and sizes. No matter which type you choose, health and safety of kids must be the number one requirement. Other practical considerations include:

• Cost–What amount of your family budget is for child care?
• Location–How close is the child care center to your home or work? Is it okay for you to drop by unexpectedly?
• Schedules–What hours does the provider offer care? Does this mesh with your work and family schedules?
• Supervision–What is the ratio of adults to the number of children? How does the ratio vary with the age of the kids?
• Beliefs and expectations–Does the provider demonstrate similar beliefs, behaviors, and values as your family?

When weighing all the factors, keep in mind that your child’s safety, happiness, and education are all essential elements—and you have to feel comfortable with the people caring for your child.

In-Home Care
A professional nanny cares for your child in your home. Some nannies live-in for reduced pay, while other nannies live-out.  If you feel confident after the interview process that the nanny would be a good match for your family, check that person’s references and do a background check. It is a good idea to have a written agreement with the nanny so you both understand what is expected.

Out-of-Home Care
Child care outside the home ranges from care in someone else’s home to child care centers to Head Start programs.  The facility must be safe for children. If you’re considering out-of-home care, spend some time watching how the children and staff members interact, and talk to other parents who use the center.

At a family child care center, your child is in a private home with other children, usually including the children of the provider. The setting is more like home than school, but there are fewer adults present. Licensing standards, if they are in place, may be looser.
 
In a school-like child care center, teachers and teachers’ assistants care for children in groups. The teachers are supervised by a director. Most States have licensing rules and minimum standards for child care centers. Contact your State Department of Health to locate information.

Preschools are similar to child care centers, but also provide an educational program for children before they start school. Children in preschool can be prepared for kindergarten and beyond. Preschool teachers may follow an educational curriculum, providing a structured day. Or, they may have less formal teaching methods that allow kids greater freedom.

The Head Start program provides services for low-income children ages 3 to 5 and social services for their families. The Early Head Start program expands the benefits of early childhood development to low-income families with children under 3 and to pregnant women.

Babysitters

Babysitters provide occasional childcare while parents are away. To find sitters, start with referrals from someone you trust, such as a coworker, friend, neighbor, or someone you know in other organizations.  Talk to other families the babysitter has worked for. Have the babysitter come to your home and get to know your child before you hire him or her. Ask lots of questions and watch how the sitter interacts with your children. How does he/she communicate with your child? Are behaviors reinforced with positive comments or critical corrections? It’s essential that your children and the sitter are a good match.

Giving the sitter information about your family rules and routines helps both the sitter and your children.  Make sure the sitter knows your family rules and is comfortable with them. ALWAYS leave a contact number so the babysitter can reach you or some other adult who has agreed to be on-call. While you’re away, feel free to call the sitter and check in to make sure everything is okay.

Daily Activities and Rules
Consistency is important for children and youth. Make sure that all adults who watch your child send the same message. Communication between caregivers and children should be clear and mirror the communication that children get from their parents.

Young children need to understand that their behavior has consequences and that some things are not okay. Guidelines help the sitter know what is expected. For example, the routine for bed time may be kids go to bed between 8:00 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. and are allowed only one glass of water at that time.

Helping Your Child Adjust
Most children take some time to get used to their child care. They may have trouble understanding that when parents leave, they always come back. Rituals can help children feel comfortable with new caregivers. For example, creating routines to say goodbye can help parents and children separate from each other. Let the child know when parents are expected to return and show them a clock where they can measure the time.

Caring for Children’s Health
Parents and caregivers should be partners when it comes to the physical and mental health of youth. Like adults, children experience anxiety and stress. Adults can monitor children, paying attention to behavioral changes and watching for signs that something may be wrong. If a child seems troubled, experiences major life changes, or starts behaving strangely, caregivers and parents should talk about how to get help for the child.

Assess Child Care Regularly
Review your child care arrangements regularly so you can make sure that your choices are still working for your child and your family. Do you still feel comfortable with the situation or does it need some improvement? Are you and your child care provider communicating enough? Is your child happy? Evaluate the situation often and make adjustments as needed.

Factoids
In 2005, 61 percent of children ages 0-6 who were not yet in kindergarten, received some form of child care on a regular basis from persons other than their parents. [Source: Childstats.gov, last referenced: 7/08/08]

Additional Resources
American Academy of Pediatrics, last referenced: 7/08/08

USA.GOV: Child Care, last referenced: 7/08/08

Head Start, last referenced: 7/09/08

Healthy Kids, Healthy Care, last referenced: 7/08/08

KidsHealth, Choosing Child Care, Choosing and Instructing a Babysitter, last referenced: 7/08/08

Medline Plus, Child Mental Health, as referenced: 7/09/08

National Association for the Education of Young Children, last referenced: 7/09/08

National Mental Health Information Center, Child and Adolescents’ Mental Health, last referenced: 7/08/08