Finding a Center

Start by making a list of prospect centers. Search our database for a center according to location, rating, and services and check your phonebook yellow pages. Ask friends, coworkers and neighbors… about their experience with the day-care center they have chosen for their children.

Also, check with your employer. Your workplace may have a special rate agreement with a certain childcare center available to the employees. Note that you should still evaluate the center yourself making sure that your employer did not select this center just for its location or cost.

Screening Centers

Call the center and ask your preliminary question (listed below) and make an appointment to visit the center. Have the center mail you their brochures so you can review it before your visit. This will help you prepare additional questions specific to the center and its program.

Try to make your visit appointment during a session period (class) for children of the same age group as your child and the same caregiver that would be watching your child. Preferably, make the appointment right before or towards the end of the session. This will give you a chance to observe the caregiver’s interaction with the kids and to meet her too.

During your visit you should accomplish the following:

• Evaluate the physical setting.
• Evaluate and the caregiver.
• Gain good understanding of the center’s educational philosophy.

Preliminary Questions

• Is the center licensed by the state?
  State licensing and regulates health and safety.
• What are the sessions (classes) times available for your child age group?
• How soon can you enroll your child? (Is there is a waiting list and how long is it)?
• What is the age group of these classes (are there younger or older children in the same class)?
  A class with close age group is better since activities can be better tailored towards a certain age.
• What is the maximum class size, and what is the ratio of caregivers to children in the class?
  Obviously, a smaller class size is better. The ratio of caregivers to children varies with children’s age. For infants, one caregiver to four infants is probably the best you can find.
• How many adults are in the center at all times (including administrators)?
  Having an administrator onsite insures that administration tasks, as simple as answering the phone, would not interfere with the caregiver’s job of watching and interacting with the children. Also, an administrator can be called up on in case of an emergency.
• What us center’s philosophy about education?
• Does the center offer meals or snacks to the children – what time?
• Is there nap or quite time – what time and how long?
• What is the cost?
• Does the center have any special-rate programs affiliated with your employer or because you are enrolling more than one child?
• What is the billing method (in advance, weekly, monthly…)?