What are some questions or things to look for when deciding on a good in-home day care giver?

Question

We are thinking of putting our 7month old son in day care and im thinking at an in- home daycare center would be good, what can i do, or look out for to find a good candidate to watch my baby??

and if u have any opinions on in-home daycare vs. regular daycare center let me know!!!!

Answer 1

The other answers are excellent.  Wanted to add a few things

-When you call the references, make sure you are not talking to the same person.  Ultimatly, there is no way to tell for sure, but today with the ability to get phone numbers from anywhere with multiple cells and voip (for example, my spouse and I have 4 local phone numbers between the two of us, 2 phones numbers with the area code of our home area, and a couple of other numbers from various places) it is easy to do.  My area is having problems with a couple of home day cares doing this.  Pay attention to the voice, tone, dialect, ect.

-What are their emergency plans?  What are they going to do if the house catches fire (think more along the lines of...  Im sure your work has proceedures for emergencies, schools have proceedures, ect.

-Pets.  Some people have issues with pets in the day care and others do not.  Make sure you are aware of any pet, and if you are ok with it

-Home owners insurance/license/bond. Some people want to know their provider has these things, while others dont care.  Just remember that in the case of emergencies or injuries, that could come into play.

-Education.  Some people like that their provider has education is psychology or teaching or child care.

-Make sure you have a written contract spelling out fees, requirements, sick days, vaca, ect.

-Do they require vaccination records?

Answer 2

I have done both Family Day Care (ran my own business) and Centre Based Care. To tell you the truth they both have their positives and negatives.

For Family Day Care some things that "I" would look for would be how the carer interacts with the other children in her care (I find it is always best to make 2 appointments, 1 during her normal working day, and one outside daycare in order to talk more personally). I would also be checking out cleanliness, not tidyness, there is a difference, you cant assume that a carers home will be tidy with 7 kids running around, but you can expect not to see mould growing from the drapes! Ask what kind of activities your child will be involved in during each day, what her routines are, what her rules are for having visitors around while your child is there, how she handles behavioural problems such as biting and hitting, and how will she transport your child if going on outings. Now I have my own requirements for all of the above questions, but you may have completely different views, and that is fine, but it helps to know where each of you stand before you start.

The advantage of Family Day Care is that if you have a good carer, your child will be one of just a few (7 is the maximum in Australia), more attention, will be in an environment similar to their home, and will hopefully feel loved and respected just as they would at home. The disadvantage is that carers get sick, thier kids get sick, thier plumbing blocks up, so ultimately there are going to be days when your carer is not going to be able to take your child. (My daughter got hit by a car so my clients needed to find alternative care for 2 days while she was in hospital). So you need to know that your job is willing to accomodate you when this happens.

Best of luck with it, I hope you find the perfect carer or Child care facility to suit your needs.

Answer 3

I start with no brainers

- evidence of smoking in the house

- unsafe situations - not the obvious stuff, the every day practices; like cords to trip over, knife left on the edge of the counter, doors unlocked, torn window screens

- clutter

- cleanliness

- pets and their cleanliness, what type, etc.

Also - what is their backup plan for sick days (provider being sick that is)?  Are they open on snow days?  

I recently added a new piece after an experience... I look for how many infants are currently placed there.  Infants can be a daycare's bread and butter but if their capacity is primarily infants, it in the past has really taken away from the care my kids got (they were 5 and 8).  Babies need extra care, and rightfully so!  But at our first daycare there were so many babies, the work of the providers was maxed out and the older kids were in front of the TV all day.  So now I ask.

I also always have "to use the restroom" while I'm on an interview.  Can tell a lot about how clean a house really is just by peeking in the tub.  Someone told me this when I was dating... to always look in the tub... and I swear by it now.  Anyone can wipe down countertops and push a quick broom when company is coming, but if the tub is gross, they're satisfied living in philth.

Answer 4

I am a home daycare provider and I know that it can be a good thing.  Obviously you want to male sure the provider is licensed and registered.  You also want to ask for references and CALL them.  Ask the parents that have children in care how they like it, how long they have been using this provider and what they think.

Here are some things to look for/ask during your interview.

~ How long have you been doing this?

~ What policies do you follow concerning discipline (should be re-direction, time out and NO physical punishment or punishments related to food)

~ How often do you leave your home? (some providers take the kids on field trips frequently, some not at all)

~How many children /babies do you have in care?  How many are you allowed to have?

~ Ask about policies on vacation, time off, sick days,medication given to child, hours of operation, back up providers (in case of emergency), child's belongings (some providers do not allow child to bring toys), late fees for late payment or late pick up, when payment is due,

~Ask if you can bring your child during a play time so you can observe the children and provider interacting and so you can get a feel of the atmosphere of the daycare

~ ask if she is willing to adapt to your specific desires in certain areas.  Moat providers will try to accommodate parents, but it isn't always easy (depending on what the parents want) and sometimes it's impossible. But she should always be willing to try

~Ask how often she gets inspected and whether or not it's unannounced or planned

~Ask about meals; what she feeds them, how long she allows...

Have a look around and notice whether or not that lace looks clean, tidy and organized. Items should be grouped together according to activity type.  For example puzzles, blocks and Legos should all be in the same general area away from the books.  More importantly, you want to be sure the place is clean!  Look at the corners.  Are they filled with dust and dirt?  Look behind the toilet. Remember when you are looking though, that if she has had children all day, there will probably be a little 'daily' dirty-ness such as full trash in the bathroom or smeared hand soap on the sink.  I know for me, I clean these things all day long, but that doesn't mean if you walk in during the day you won't find it there!

Most importantly, trust your gut.  Does this person make you feel like she loves children and would be happy taking care of your baby?  Or does your gut tell you she is in it for the money?  Get a feel for her as a person and them you can get a feel for her a  provider.  

Home daycare can be a loving, close bond and if you find a good one, it is awesome.  Good l**k!!

Answer 5

certifications,experience,how many infants total,how many children total,where will the children be during play,nap time,what will the schedule be for the kids,who all has access to the kids,nearest hospital,appropriate age toys,do they take mildly ill children,meals included,are they going to stay at the home only(no errands with the child)kind of neighborhood is it,get references and CHECK them too(more then 3 if possible)are they state inspected(verify this),look to see how the house is baby proofed(if not enough,then where are the kids confined too),what will they use as punishment,what pets are around the children,keep an eye on your diaper supply as in are they changing enough.,does anyone in the house have any illnesses that could interfer with the well being of the child,smokers,what does the contract say about sick days,termination of services(are they agreeable with you),visit a few times at different times to see what and how the other children are handled,are the other kids happy there,are the other mothers happy with they're services,how long have they cared for the other children

I hope I'm able to give you a few things to think about.Remember it's YOUR child,so you have to pick someone that can offer as close as possible to what you give him.Choose carefully,and visit often unannounced to check on your son till your comfortable.But I still suggest you make spot checks.Your son needs to be loved as well as cared for by a babysitter!

Good luck :)

Answer 6

In Home Care:  Ask for 3 references and call them all.  Ask not only the obvious questions, like do you like her, does your child like her, etc. but ask if there is anything you would like to see different, ask if and how the sitter disciplines their child and do they agree.

Look at the area the kids will spend the most time.  Is it tidy and clean? However, it's a daycare so it won't be clean and neat 24 hours a day.   My sitter asked us to come on a Saturday for the interview where she can give us her full attention without the kids around.  But we also came back on a regular day to see the kids and how everyone interacts with eachother.

Our sitter had a complete list of rules/regulations which she gave us.  It states things like her rates for p-t, f-t, night-time, overnight, etc.  How often her toys are disinfected, the carpet cleaned, etc.  Paid holidays, what they do for birthdays, summer time activites, things like that.  We received a copy of her and her husband's drivers license (the dad drives the kids to school).  Make sure she has taken CPR, First Aid class and ask for the certificate.  Make sure she is personable and friendly of course, not only in person, but on the phone.  I don't know how many people I crossed off the list because she just didn't seem nice on the phone.  

In home is less expensive than daycare centers.  There may be higher turnover in daycare.  In home is more personable, one-on-one contact with your child.  In home has at a max 8 kids, compared to daycare which is more.  

Answer 7

Ask all the same questions you would at any daycare. Ask for references. I also recommend looking around the house and just look for basic cleanliness. The in-home daycare I chose for my son was immaculate and always smelled good. Which meant that she not only takes care of her daycare in a clean way but she keeps her own house very clean and tidy. She was very organized with paperwork and setting us up which meant she took her daycare seriously and it was treated like a business…as it should be. She provided a contract, had set policies and rules, and had very FAIR late fees and days off allowed.

Next I watched her interact with her own child as well as the other kids. All the kids seemed very content, very happy, and being my son was the baby in the group, I knew he’d be very well loved and cared for.

As he got older, I did have to talk with the daycare about discipline. My daycare wasn’t equipped for a busy boy like mine and I actually lost my patience with how he was being treated and pulled him out. However, my daycare person was also pregnant during this time and having been there myself, I think her pregnancy had everything to do with her lack of patience. But I have no hard feelings, I think she’s a great person and runs a great daycare.

My son is now in a regular daycare facility. He most definitely got more one on one time with an in-home daycare but this daycare facility he attends now also has SO much more to offer him given his age. They did lots of arts and crafts at his other daycare (home) but they didn’t play outside as often, watched a good amount of TV, and all age groups were mixed together. It worked for us at the time and because my son was so little (6 months to 12 months) it wasn’t a huge deal. But now with him being almost 2, he needs so much more to keep busy during the day. And a daycare facility works best for us! And my son loves it to the point he sometimes cries because he doesn’t want to go home. LOL.

The most important and key factor in seeking childcare is your motherly instinct. Always trust your instinct!!!

Good luck!