What
is the infant (or child) to caregiver ratio?
i.e. How many infants or children are taken care of by each
caregiver? You'll want to try to get as close to the standards
recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics as possible -
and it's not easy to do. You'll have to pay for it. If you feel
there are too many children or babies per caregiver, you're
probably right. And remember, some unscrupulous facilities have
ways to fool the inspectors (and the parents, too!).
What
is the infant (or child) to caregiver ratio? i.e.
How many infants or children are taken care of by each caregiver?
You'll want to try to get as close to the standards recommended by
the American Academy of Pediatrics as possible - and it's not easy
to do. You'll have to pay for it. If you feel there are too many
children or babies per caregiver, you're probably right. And
remember, some unscrupulous facilities have ways to fool the
inspectors (and the parents, too!).
Does
the facility have high staff turnover? What is the turnover?
Daycare workers are typically some of the lowest-paid workers in
the nation. We don't blame them if they get fed up. But a constant
turnover of caregivers is highly detrimental to your child's sense
of security.
Is
the facility licensed? Are the caregivers licensed? Through whom?
May I see the certificates?
Being licensed isn't legally required for all facilities,
but some facilities volunteer for licensing. Safer Child
recommends using a licensed facility; they generally follow
stricter standards than non-licensed facilities.
What
are the state requirements for licensing of this facility - and
also for hiring (and continuing to employ) the caregivers?
Try to find out what
the laws are in your state before you ask this question. Then
you can use the question to find out whether the operator knows
what they are.
What
are the credentials (experience and training) of the staff?
Do these credentials apply to a) the director b) the room leader
c) the co-teachers d) all staff? Do
staff members receive ongoing training? What kind of training is
it? Some states don't require experience or
training for a newly hired employee, but they do require training
on the job. Other states require certain levels of training before
hire. Make sure your child's caregiver has had - and continues to
receive - the appropriate amount of experience and training.
Have
all staff and caregivers submitted to background and criminal
checks? How were the checks done?
You might want to verify the
results with the police. All employees - including the kitchen and
janitorial help - should have submitted to background and
criminal checks to rule out anyone with a record of criminal
activity, drug use or child abuse. Safer Child recommends against
facilities that hire employees with any sort of
criminal background.
Does
everyone on the staff know first aid and CPR (and if applicable,
infant CPR)?
This might seem obvious, but
you'd be surprised at how many people take care of babies and
children with no training whatsoever. At least one staff person
trained in infant/child first aid and CPR should be present at all
times.
Has
any child suffered serious injury (requiring professional medical
care) or died while being cared for by any staff member?
Is this a rude question? Many people
would tell you it is, but it's by far the most important piece of
information you can get. Ask it -- you have to know. You might
assume that anyone who could answer "yes" to the
question would just lie to you, and that's probably true. But
people will not be expecting this important question, and their
body language and verbal responses can reflect a less-than-honest
answer. The person might do one or more of the following: refuse
to answer, look away, look down at the floor, begin to fidget or
sweat, purse his/her mouth, hesitate to answer, look upset or
angry, stumble with the answer, begin talking a lot, immediately
redirect the conversation to a different topic, suddenly become
"very busy," refer the question to someone else, promise
to get back to you, tell you the information is private, that it's
under investigation, that it's confidential, or that your question
was rude. For many people, "the best defense is a strong
offense," and they will turn the tables on you by putting YOU
on the spot, thereby taking the heat off themselves. So, if the
answer you get is "yes," or if you have doubts about the
veracity of the answer, trust your instincts. Check out the
daycare with the police department and/or just go ahead and find
another daycare for your child.
Is
the facility required to submit to regular health, fire and safety
checks? How often? By whom? Are the checks announced or
unannounced?
You might want to call the inspectors
and verify information about the particular facility. Many
facilities don't have to submit to any checks at all. But health,
fire and safety checks are critical to your child's well-being.
Make sure that fire drills are conducted at least once a month;
that smoke detectors are installed on every floor,
and that they're working. Make sure the exits are well
marked and easy for all children to access. Toxic substances
should be kept in a locked cabinet, away from curious children.
Phone numbers for police, fire, ambulance, and poison control
should be clearly posted. Outdoor play equipment should be safe
and well maintained, and the playground surface should be soft
(not hard dirt or concrete).
May
I observe the caregivers in action?
This way, you can make sure that: The rooms are clean, cheerful,
interesting, but not over stimulating; There are separate areas
for diapering, sleeping, resting, eating and exploring; The
caregivers are involved, patient, caring, interested and attuned
to the child's needs; You feel comfortable with the room, the
caregiver and the children your child will associate with; and
that There aren't too many
children in the room for your child to get the care and attention
necessary. If the room contains babies, caregivers should be able
to hug, rock, cuddle, talk and sing to them. It's also best if
babies can be matched with one or two caregivers.
Will
breastfeeding mothers be encouraged to continue breastfeeding?
Will they be encouraged to do so at the facility?
What
is the policy on discipline of my child? Will you let me
know if my child has a bad day? Will I be able to find out at the
end of the day what happened all through the day?
What
is the policy when a child is hurt or falls ill?
Will you be called? What if they can't reach you?
What
is the policy if a child is violent toward another child or a
caregiver? Will I hear about it? Does it get reported? To whom?
What
is the policy on incidents of caregiver abuse toward a child -
sexual or otherwise? Will I hear about it? Does it get reported?
To whom? Is the caregiver fired? You should be
notified if there is a violent or abusive situation at the daycare
center. And you should feel confident that appropriate steps will
be taken to deal with the situation.
Does
the center allow parents and children a transitional period if the
children find it difficult to separate?
Do
you ever take the children on outings off site? Will I be notified
first and have the option to say no? What about car seats, seat
belts, extra supervision and refreshments?
Check to make sure that on outings, caregivers don't
put name tags on the outside of children's clothing, especially
with a string or ribbon. There are several reasons: 1) At pet
zoos, some animals enjoy eating string and paper, and might
accidentally choke a child. 2) At fairs and playgrounds, a hanging
string might get caught on machinery and choke a child. 3) On any
outing, visible names are an invitation to a dangerous stranger to
use the child's name while approaching the child.
