Child Care Needed! Guide for all parents...Hi, I'm a mother of 3 and a former Child Care Provider. I wanted to include this page for those you out there that need full or part time child care, but are concerned if there child is recieveing the best care and you are getting what you are by law intitled to from your Home Child Care Provider or Child Care center.
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A few guidelines to think about.
When looking for Child Care whether it be in Home Child Care or a Child Care Center there are a few things you need to think about. 1. Make sure you know ahead of time the provider to children ratio. Each state has there own guidelines make sure you get that info ahead of time. In most states the provider to child ratio is Home Child Care 1:3, for infant home, 1:6, in multi-age home, 1:8, in a school-age home, Center are usually allowed 2-4 more per catagory. Ask them there ratio and check atleast once per week after. 2. Make sure that the home or center is under the USDA Food Program and that there menus are always posted with the correct date, there should be atleast 1 months worth of menus posted. Check to be sure that they are following there menus, ask your child if they are old enough to talk not the provider. Most states pay a small amount of money per child per meal, you should not have to provide meals or pay extra for them. All children should eat a max of every 3 hours. There should be a time schedule post somewhere you can see it at any time. Look it over carefully. 3. Be sure a rest time is provided for all children under the age of 6 and that mats with fitted sheets are provided for each child (no children should ever share sheets and mats should be sanitized daily). 4. Be sure that atleast 30 minutes of outdoor activity, that does not include traveling in a car or shopping, or play for all children in a home or center more then 4 hours per day. 5. Make sure they are certified by the state or military installation (depending where they live), be cautious of anyone providing care not certified the DO NOT have anyone regulating there establishment, make sure they ARE CPR & FIRST AID CERTFIED (very important can mean the life or death of your child). 6. Make sure their home or center is available for you to inspect at anytime they are open for business. If it is a Child Care Home ask at the interview which rooms of the house will be used during the child care hour and which will be locked. If at any time you come to there home and they are open for business and a room which they designated to you as off limits to the child care is open remind them you can inspect any room available to your child and tell them to close it off. 7. Make sure all inspection are up to date (fire, safety, etc.) and posted if or proof is available to you. Be sure smoke detectors are in working order and a working fire extinguisher is in the kitchen. 8. Be sure First Aid kit is available and stocked fully. Ask them for there First Aid kit requirements list from the state or military installation. 9. Be sure you are notified of any holidays or vacation time they will be closed in advance ( be sure that your are not paying for any non-federal holiday closed days). This is just a few items to keep in mind when looking for a provider or center. Your best bet is to have each states requirements to know what guidelines they have to follow. If your interested in more info please continue to read below. |
Child Care Needed! A guide for parents needing any kind of child care.
I have been a certified provider both by the state and by the multiple military installations for the past 12 years and I'm also a mother of 3, which you may know if you've visited any of my other 3 sites. I have learned what most states require thru personal experience and reaserched all states in the last 2 years. I used the information I have acquired in the last 12 years to a very valuable guide for those of you out there needing child care. This guide consites of each states requirements for both in-home and center child care. It also contains a list of red flags to look for from your child and the provider and her home or center. I provide a large array of info and a list of links on the internet and in your local are for any more questions you might have. With this guide you save a lot of time and energy you could better use with your family and interview for your child care needs. If your interested in this guide send me *Full Name, * Mailing Address, *E-mail Address (optional for any updates I may find) and a check or money order made payable to G. Lopez-Siple at 121-C leonard St., Columbus, GA 31905. Please e-mail me any comments or suggestions you may have. I welcome all. Thank you for your order and/or interest. I hope this site was of value to you. |
