How to Choose
How to Choose the Right Care For Your Family
Undoubtedly, you have discovered that there are many options for child care in your area. We recommend that you be as thorough as possible in your research, so you can be confident that you’ve chosen the right child care option.
So, after you have learned about the various types of care, and used our referral service to find child care options for your family, we recommend you take the following steps:
First, call and ask some basic questions, such as:
- Is there an opening for my child?
- What is the daily program/routine?
- Does the provider follow a curriculum?
- What are the qualifications (education and experience) of the caregivers?
- Is there much staff turnover?
- How many children does the provider care for/what is the class size?
- What are the ages of the children in the group?
- What are the fees, and what do they include?
- What are the hours? What happens on holidays and vacation days?
- Is the provider accredited by a national organization?
Hopefully, the answers to those questions will help you narrow down your options. Next, you should visit the providers you are most interested in, to get a feeling for each in person.
Before you visit providers, review these informative documents:
Choosing Infant/Toddler Care Guide (English)
Choosing Infant/Toddler Care Guide (Spanish)
Complete Parent Guide to Choosing Child Care (English)
Complete Parent Guide to Choosing Child Care (Spanish)
Everything you need to know before hiring a nanny:
When it’s time to visit providers, we recommend you:
- Visit at least 3 potential programs/providers
- Bring this checklist of important questions (English) with you or this checklist of important questions (Spanish)
- Make sure there are children present when you visit, so you can see how staff interacts with them
- Allow 30-45 minutes per visit
Before you commit to a program or sign a contract, you should:
- Review the provider’s Parent Handbook, if one is available
- Make sure you understand the pricing, and whether you qualify for financial assistance to help pay for care. Learn more about Paying For Care.