Quality Child Care Matters

Every child has the right to the highest quality child care, whatever their gender, ethnicity, religion or economic status.

Quality care involves a safe place for children to play and explore. Safety is not only in the physical surrounding - it's emotional as well. It is important for your child to find toys and areas that are safe for his or her state of development; it's important that he or she feels welcomed, loved and comfortable with those who care for him or her. A good caregiver is loving and responsive, respects the child's individuality and offers quality surrounding for play and exploration. Experts know that investing in a child's success early on is critical. Research shows the tangible results - adult with greater success in life, less involvement in crime, higher incomes and higher education levels.

Take your time, do your homework and ask a lot of questions.

Read Five Steps to Choosing Quality Care in (English) or (Spanish). Special consideration should be given when choosing quality care for infants. Infants require special consideration; read Choosing Infant Care for guidelines to choosing quality infant care.

Note these suggested general guidelines. In any care setting, look for:

• Small groups of children: One to six babies per adult; six to ten toddlers per adult; sixteen to twenty preschoolers per two adults.
• Consistent caregivers: Consistency builds your childs self-esteem and sense of security.
• Adequate wages and low staff turnover: Staff stays longer, building a meaningful relationship with your child.
• Active Parents: Involved parents build trust, communication and consistency between home and child care.
• Education and Training: Staff trained in child development provide high quality child care.
• Clean surroundings: Look for hand washing around meals, diapering and nose wiping.
• Licensed vs. Non-licensed: Not all programs are required to be licensed. Ask!