Parents

Explore Quality
Child Care Choices

Your child care choice is your most important consumer decision. At stake are your child's happiness and well-being...and your peace of mind. When you buy a car or washing machine, you shop around, compare quality and prices, ask questions and talk to other people using the product as you use it. When you choose child care, follow the same steps. When choosing child care, do the following:

Look
The child care environment should be safe, clean and attractive. It may look a little cluttered, but it should not be dirty. See if toys are stored at a child's level, and that medicine and cleaning products are out of reach. See if the caregivers enjoy talking and playing with the children.

Listen
Find out what the child care setting sounds like. Listen for children who sound happy and involved and caregivers who sound cheerful and patient. A place that is too quiet may mean not enough activity. A place that is too noisy may mean there is a lack of control.

Count
Count the number of children in the group and the number of staff members caring for them. A small number of children per each adult is important, especially for babies and younger children.

Ask
Ask about the background training and experience of all staff. Ask how they handle safety, nutrition, discipline and activities. Find out if they are accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) or if they meet high-quality local or national standards. A quality care provider will happily answer your questions.

Be Informed
Quality child care for your child depends on both you and the caregiver. Share information with the caregiver about your child's needs, interests, problems, personality and anything else that will help the caregiver provide the best care for your child.

This information was provided by Child Care Aware. Get more information and see the full brochure on-line at the www.naccrra.org website.

Are you looking for financial assistance for child care? Please contact your local county human services or social services department for information about Wisconsin's child care assistance program, "Wisconsin Shares". They will help you determine your eligibility for financial assistance.

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