Start Early! Start looking as far in advance as you can.
Make a call to your local Child Care Resource and Referral Agency.Ask the following questions:
What are the licensing requirements in my area?
How can I get more information about complaints and licensing violations? Click for our complaint policies.
Are there any child care financial assistance programs that my family qualifies for? We can tell you who to contact in order to find the Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) intake agent in your county.?
Visit and Ask Questions
Ask how many children there are for each adult.
Find out how many children are in a group.
Ask about the caregivers’ education and training
Are the caregivers involved in activities to improve their skills?
Do they attend classes and workshops? Caregivers with degrees and/or special training in working with children will be better able to help your child learn.
Check how long the caregivers have been at the center or providing care in their homes. It's better if children stay with the same caregiver at least one year)
Find out if the child care provider has been accredited by a national organization. (Providers that are accredited have met voluntary standards for child care that are higher than most state licensing requirements)
Make a Choice. Think about what you saw at each visit, and make the best choice for your child and family.
Stay involved! Have parent-caregiver meetings regularly and ask questions. Offer to volunteer when needed, like participating with holiday parties, fixing broken toys, or visit your child at child care and read a book aloud.
