Choosing Childcare for Dummies®: Cheat Sheet
Questions to Ask a Day-Care Center Director During a Phone Screen
• Do you have
any spaces available? If not, how long is your waiting list?
• What are your hours of operation? Does the center have a limit on the
number of hours a child can spend at the center each day? Are part-timers welcome,
or do you accept children only on a full-time basis?
• What’s the age range of children enrolled at the center? Do you
group children according to age, or do you use mixed-age groupings?
• What is your caregiver-child ratio?
Does the center shut down at certain times of the year?
• Do you have a trial period for children who are new to the center?
• Has all center staff received appropriate training in first aid?
• What are your fees? Do you offer discounts or scholarships to families
on limited incomes?
• Are parents expected to fundraise on behalf of the center?
• May I bring my child with me when I conduct my onsite visit?
• What kind of information do you require in order to complete the registration
paperwork?
Points to Consider When Visiting a Day-Care Center
• Is the day-care
environment warm and welcoming? Is the day-care center designed to
be secure?
• Does the day-care day have some sort of predictable rhythm?
• What kind of training has the day-care center staff received in working
with young children?
• How long has the staff member who would be assigned to work with your
child been working with young children? What are her child-care philosophies?
How well does she handle discipline problems? What are the center's discipline
policies?
• How does the center support parents who are toilet training their children?
• What are the center's basic operating policies and procedures?
• What are the center's policies regarding sick children?
• Is the day-care environment healthy and safe?
• What kinds of meals and snacks does the center serve?
• Is the center director willing to provide you with the names and phone
numbers of parents who are willing to speak with you about their families'
experiences with the center?
Questions to Ask a Family Day-Care Provider During a Phone Screen
• Do you have
any spaces available?
• Where is your family day care located?
• What are your hours of operation?
• Are part-timers welcome?
• What are the ages of the other children?
• Does the family day care shut down during any time of the year?
•
Do you have a backup provider lined up in case you’re unavailable?
• Have you been trained in first aid?
• What fees do you charge?
Questions to Ask When Visiting a Family Day Care
• What kind
of training have you received in working with young children?
• Are your immunizations up to date?
• Is your child-care license current?
• How long have you been working with young children?
• How long do you intend to continue operating a family day-care business
out of
your home?
• Are any other businesses being run out of your home?
• What are the ages of children you most enjoy working with?
• What’s the maximum number of children you would want to care for
at any one time?
• What are your child-care philosophies?
• Do you have any written policies and procedures?
• Do you charge late fees if parents are late picking their children up?
• What approach do you take when toilet training the children in your care?
• What are your policies regarding sick children?
• What are your policies regarding naps?
• How much notice do you require if I decide to withdraw my child from
care?
• Are parents welcome to drop by at any time unannounced?
• Are you willing to provide references?
Points to Consider When Checking Out a Family Day Care
• Does the
family day care feel warm and welcoming?
• Does the day-care day have any sort of structure?
• How well does the family day-care provider handle discipline problems?
• Has the home been adequately child-proofed?
• Does the family day-care provider ever take the children in her care
on car trips? If so, what safety policies and procedures does she have in place?
• What kind of meals and snacks does the family day-care provider serve
to the children in her care?
Questions to Ask a Prospective Nanny
• What hours and
days of the week are you available for work?
• What made you choose a career as a nanny?
How long have you been working with young children?
• Are you legally permitted to work in the U.S.?
• What were your duties at your most recent position? What was your reason
for leaving?
• What kind of training have you received?
• Would you be willing to do a bit of light housework?
• If we decided to hire you, when would you be available to start work?
• Would you be willing to undergo a background check at our expense?
• Would you be willing to undergo a pre-employment medical exam at our
expense?
• What ages of children do you have the most experience working with?
• If you were offered this position, would you be prepared to make at least
a one-year commitment to our family?
• What are your salary expectations?
• Are you able to provide a list of references?
The
material on this page is drawn from the Cheat Sheet from
Choosing Childcare
for Dummies. This is copyrighted material
that is being reproduced
here for promotional purposes only. Copyright
© 2004 Wiley
Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.