Tips for Finding a Good Child Care Provider This Summer

For working parents, summer can present a conundrum with regards to child care. Without school during the day, parents need to find some other way for their kids to be watched during the week. As you look for summer child care, you’ll want to make sure you find a good one, which involves exploring all your options. Here are some tips for finding a good child care provider this summer.

Turnover

Find out what the “turnover rate” is at the child care center you’re considering. Sources say that children feel more secure with the same caregiver for as long as possible. Also, a high turnover rate might indicate difficult working conditions and employee disgruntlement.

If you are looking at a home-based caregiver, find out if the caregiver has a lot of experience or not. An inexperienced caregiver might end up quitting after the first year (or before).

Group Size

Small groups are usually considered best. As you consider group size, find out the number of adults per number of children. For instance, a large group of 25 might be fine as long as there are at least 5 adults. That way, the group can be split into smaller groups for activities, and there are enough adults to handle a problem and watch everyone.

However, experts generally recommend a group of no more than 10, especially for very young children (preschool and younger).

Age Appropriate

Speaking of adult-to-child ratios, the age of the children makes a difference. So as you look at providers, consider this general information on ages and ratios:

* Infants: 1 adult for every 4 or 5 infants
* Preschoolers and early grade school: 1 adult for every 10 children
* Later grade school: 1 adult for every 15 children

Remember, experts agree that the more adults per child, the better. The ratio of adults to children is fine if the adult to children ratio is greater than the minimum recommended above, but not fine if the ratio of children to adults is greater.

Qualifications

Check on your prospective child care provider’s qualifications, and don’t be shy about it. Things to ask about include:

* Education level – not just in the past, but in the present. Child care providers who keep learning by attending classes and researching are up on the latest methods and insights.

* Training – how much have they had? Do they keep up with their training by attending workshops?

* Time spent as a child care provider (how long they’ve been doing this)

* Why they chose a career in child care, or why they have chosen that vocation

* Does the provider have certification in CPR and other emergency procedures?

Speaking of Emergencies…

Find out what the policies and procedures are in association with emergencies. Know what hospital they call, where the numbers are posted, and who handles what. Fire safety and an escape plan should also be in place.