Looking for daycare: A guide to finding the perfect child care for your family

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It's one of the most important decisions that working parents need to make. How do you find the right child care provider for your family? How do you even start? This guide should help both parents and providers. For parents, it's a detailed list of things to consider when choosing a provider. For child care providers, consider this a checklist of what parents need and are looking for when choosing a child care option.

1. Make a decision. There are plenty of child care options out there. Do you want your child in a more populated center? A family child care home? A nanny or an au pair? What are the main differences in all these choices?

The chain child care centers are a good choice for parents who want their children to interact with multiple kids and build the necessary social skills for kindergarten. The children will bring home more viruses, but there is also a variety of adult supervision and generally a preschool program.

Home child care providers are excellent options for parents who want their child to develop social skills but have still more personalized attention and one on one time. There will be less viruses and illnesses. And if you find a great provider, your child will have an additional role model and adult support as they grow. A family child care provider could act as an extension of your family or a close family friend.

A nanny is a great option if you can afford one. They are an excellent option for families with multiple children who would be paying hundreds each week anyway. You can hire a nanny with any set of requirements you like. Do you want them to teach the children? Do you want a religious influence? Do you want someone to take them to activities and classes? Someone available outside standard hours? Someone more friendly or more firm? There are all types of nannies out there.

Do you have a guest bedroom? Then you should consider hiring an au pair. Au pairs come from other countries to experience our culture for a year or more. They make a living by housing with a family who needs child care. You pay an au pair by the week and they work up to 45 hours a week. The last au pair site I visited advertised providers from all over earning $335 a week per family.

2. Set your priorities. Before you even start looking for providers you and the child's father should discuss what you are looking for in providers and what are absolute deal breakers. Are you allergic to pets? Do you want the child to be learning while in care? Will you insist on field trips or cringe at the thought of them? Put together a list of do's and do not's that are important to you.

This is also the step where you set your budget. You can find child care providers who charge a multitude of rates. The lower the rate, the less likely the provider will be licensed. But as a parent, you can only do what you can do. Don't try to 'save' money in this area, your child's upbringing is imperative. However, don't break the bank trying to find the best care if you can't afford it either. There are thousands of parents out there having to settle for what they can afford. Don't let it get you down.

3. Now do your research. Okay, now we that we have a plan it's time to start reviewing our options. I've provided a list of links to help you find care on my website. Never forget the power of recommendations, ask around. Don't know what a fair rate is in the area? Call around. Centers tend to be more pricey than family child care homes. NACCRA has a report with average annual rates they publish each year.

Not everyone will have an opening for a child your age. This is especially true for infants as there are strict requirements as to how many infants a provider can watch at once. So, the first two questions you should ask are whether or not there is an opening and what the rate is. Keep a list of options and narrow down once you've compiled your data.

If you can find a daycare that is accredited, fantastic. But it's a pricey and lengthy process and most child care homes aren't able to apply for accreditation.

4. Interview & Tour. Now you should have a list of options, but which one is best? Gather your list of questions and priorities and make arrangements to meet with the lucky finalists. Most centers are locked during the day, so call ahead for an appointment. The good home providers will only meet with you after hours. You want their undivided attention and that's virtually impossible while watching someone's children. Ask for a parent handbook that you can take home and review. Policies will vary for different daycares. Ask for a list of references and check them! Ask about doing a background check. For the larger centers, look for reviews online. For home providers, contact the State to verify that they are licensed and what their inspection history has been. Bring your child along and let them test drive and try out both the environment and the provider. Wait to see how the potential provider interacts with your child.

5. Do a trial run. Pick your top two and see if you can do trial runs. Perhaps a week if you've chosen a center, or an afternoon if you've chosen a family daycare. Make certain they have an open door policy and drop by at various times of day to check in. If at any point you feel uncomfortable, don't hesitate to change providers. There are many other providers looking to fill openings and your only obligation is to find the best care for your child. Follow the child care's policy on notice though. You don't want to be reported to Provider Watch for not following procedures. Many home providers require payment and a two week notice, whether your child attends that final two weeks or not.

6. Stay involved. There is nothing saying that once you find the perfect provider that you can't stay involved. Volunteer to chaperone on field trips. Take time out to attend your child's birthday party. Come in and talk about your job or showcase a talent as a teaching experience for the children. Come for lunch once a month or so. Schedule regular meetings or conferences to discuss your child's progress.

Hopefully this guide gives you a roadmap on your journey to find a great provider for your child(ren). Next week we'll talk about what kind of questions you should bring to the interview.