Finding the best day care facility for your family requires a lot of research, but it can be worth it. A good day care centre will provide the structure, discipline, and interaction with other children that children need to develop. In this article, we’ll go over some things to look for when choosing a daycare facility for your child.
Table of Contents
Don’t Be Afraid To Ask Questions.
Ask about the staff-to-child ratio. Most facilities have a maximum child-to-adult ratio of 4:1 while the recommended ratio is 1:8 or 1:10, depending on the age of your child. This means that there should be one teacher or caregiver for every eight or ten children at any given time.
In addition, you can also ask if there are extra teachers on hand at certain times (such as nap time) and/or if you need to submit additional forms if your child needs special attention due to special needs. If these questions don’t seem like they’re being answered fully during your tour, try asking someone else from within the school.
Ask about their curriculum. A good day care including child care in Kingswood like the Little Village has an established set of standards and goals for each age group that all staff members follow closely when working with children. This ensures consistency between teachers so that no matter which class you choose for your kiddo, their experience will be similar throughout their tenure at this facility! Additionally, it shows how well-organized this particular centre is—and that’s always important when dealing with kids.
Observe How The Staff Interacts With Children.
The staff should be friendly and welcoming, and they should seem to enjoy spending time with the children. The way that the staff interacts with each child can tell you a lot about how well they know that particular child’s needs and personality. Do they treat all children equally, or do they interact differently with some? If so, are those differences positive or negative?
You’ll want to watch for signs of patience from the staff if your child is having a difficult day or acting out. Does it appear as if they’re getting frustrated easily by your child’s behaviour (or lack thereof)? Or does it seem like their response is always calm and measured? As an example: A skilled caregiver may notice when one child is struggling academically; then instead of giving up on her after only a few days at school, she’ll take extra time each day until she feels confident that she understands what’s going on with this particular student’s learning process—and can help them achieve success in class while keeping herself mentally healthy in the meantime!
Find Out How Often Staff Members Are On The Floor.
Find out how often staff members are on the floor. It’s important for your child to see a familiar face more than once every hour, so you want to make sure that your provider is checking in with his or her charges at least every 30 minutes. If you’re looking for a day care centre with even more frequent supervision, consider one that promises at least one check-in per hour. If you don’t mind receiving fewer than three hourly checks, choose a facility that offers two staff visits per two hours—and if this works for you and your child, feel free to go with less frequent monitoring still: most facilities offer at least one check-in every three hours.
Learn About the Discipline Policy.
Discipline is an important topic to explore. It’s essential that you feel confident the daycare centre is capable of handling your child’s behaviour, especially if there are any issues with aggression, anxiety or ADHD. Your child will be happier and more secure knowing that they can learn from a mistake without being punished too severely.
Behaviour policies should also account for special circumstances like food allergies or lactose intolerance so that your son or daughter doesn’t have to endure a punishment because he had an accidental reaction to dairy products. The daycare centre should have some sort of plan in place to address these types of concerns and make sure their teachers are aware of them.
Understand The Facility’s Emergency And Evacuation Policies.
It’s important to understand the facility’s emergency and evacuation policies. What happens if there is a fire? What happens if there is a lockdown? And what happens if there is a power outage, what will the facility do with your children in that case?
It may also be helpful to know who to contact and when it is appropriate for you to do so. For example, are you allowed access to the facility during an emergency or does this have to be approved by staff members first? Are there any situations where someone from outside of your child’s class (for example parents) would not be allowed into the building during an emergency situation or lockdown procedure even though their child might still be at school at that time?
Learn About the Centre’s Cleanliness Procedures.
Once you’ve picked a day care centre, it’s important to know how often the facility is cleaned. Good centres including Torquay Kids, day care in Hervey Bay, have a cleaning schedule in place to ensure that the entire facility is thoroughly cleaned at least once per week. Make sure that the cleaning staff uses products made for children and does not use harsh chemicals, which are harmful and can cause respiratory issues.
The kitchen area should be cleaned after every child’s meal is served. Additionally, there should be no food left out on counters or tables overnight—this can attract pests such as mice or roaches into your home!
Conclusion
Finding the right day care facility can be a challenge. But by knowing what to look for and asking the right questions, you can find a place that’s perfect for your family and budget.