Deciding where your little one is going to be spending his days while you are at work can be a
daunting task. Having a child being taken care of by a day-care centre does not mean you have
to be filled with uncertainties. Know what the centre is about and if they indeed offer what
they claim to offer. Ask your friends who have children about their childcare centres because
word of mouth means a lot.
The day-care centre should be ideal for both your needs and your child's needs.
1. Parents needs:
It should be either closer to work or home. This will be convenient for you in terms of picking up and dropping off your child without adding extra work to your day. If there is an emergency you will also reach it quickly.
• Opening Times:
As more and more companies require that we be available to work throughout the year, you need a day-care centre that will take care of your child throughout the year as well. A routine, constant child-minder and familiar surroundings are important for the child. They make him feel secure. Hopping from one day-care centre to the next will not help the child.
• Pricing:
Does it suit your budget - also take into consideration the 'hidden' costs. E.g. some day-care centres require parents to bring in their own meals, nappies, bum cream, formula, etc.
• Atmosphere:
The attitude of the staff goes a long way in telling you what kind of environment your child is going to be in. The staff should make you feel welcome to ask any kind of question. However, be careful of window dressing. They should be able to prove anything they tell you, and speak to other parents that have their children in the same facility. Vitally important further is to check on the weekly planning program for the different areas, to ensure that all activities that your child requires are included.
• Trust:
Trust is essential for you to have peace of mind while at work and if you feel in any way unsure, listen to your intuition. You have to feel totally assured that the person who manages the facility has a genuine love for and a natural way with children. If you are unsure, and do not have peace of mind, this could influence your work and/or private life.
• Clean surroundings:
The centre should be clean and hygienic so that your child can stay healthy. Going to a crèche, especially for the first time, makes a child susceptible to illnesses, so a dirty environment will make things worse. Further check on the cleaning products that are used as you do not want any products used that may be bad for your child's health, and ask to see the daily cleaning rosters.
• Small child to adult ratio:
A child-minder should not have to be responsible for too many children. She should be able to watch the children under her care all the time and provide for their needs. This is especially important if the child is an infant (0-6 months). The child-minder can only handle three to four infants at one time. Think of all the tasks you do for example changing nappies, playing with them, feeding them, not to mention the soothing touch they need to develop emotionally. If your child is an infant, be sure to ask how many infants there are to one adult.
• Good diet:
Be sure to investigate the daily diet to see if it is nutritious enough for your growing child. The diet should be balanced, free of preservatives and colorants, ensuring that infants get all the nutrients they need to grow. Further, ask to see if there are set menus for each day. If your child has special dietary requirements, ask if they are able to comply, and always inspect the kitchen, as this can influence the health of your child.
• Stimulating programmes :
The pre-school years are very crucial because the brain is growing rapidly, the 3 month to 6 year period especially. A day-care centre should be able to have a programme to develop the language and the creativity of the child. Ask the staff to show you their daily stimulation programme. You want to know what your child is learning every day. Children should not be left unattended, with no stimulation at all. Through play, children learn. There should be toys and equipment to do this, so ask to see these. It is also very important that the programme is a holistic one stimulating both the left and right side of the brain. It is also preferable if they have a full day programme instead of a half-day programme, but make sure they are able to deal with both.
• Children divided into groups:
It is important that children be divided into appropriated age groups. Two year olds should be separated from four year olds. Children have to play with those of the same level of development and age, as they are growing. A child might have self-esteem challenges if they are constantly among those who are at a different age and developmental stage. An intelligent child will be held back if he/she is placed with those who are not developing at the same rate.
• Qualified staff:
You will want to know whether the people that are going to be taking care of your child are qualified. Do not be afraid to ask about their qualifications because you need to know that the people that are taking care of your child know what they are doing. Further, ask if the staff receive Refresher Training to keep up to date with the latest developments in the field, as well as First Aid and Fire Training.
• Emergency measures:
Do they have a first aid kit for emergencies? Is there somebody who is trained at first aid in case of accidents? Is there a nurse on staff to deal with any accidents that are more serious? Do they have an evacuation plan and procedures in place, in case of emergencies like fire? Do they have policies to prevent the spreading of any illnesses, like isolation rooms for sick kids, and rubber gloves for the staff if they need to change nappies and tend to bleeding wounds?
• Insurance:
Not a lot of parents think of this, but ensure that the facility is insured with a proper Schools Insurance, in case of any unfortunate eventuality. We do not want to think of this, but it is essential that they are covered in case the crèche employees do make mistakes and a serious injury occurs.
Please watch out for our next newsletter when we will be discussing how to deal with a union coming into your company, from the first day you are notified to general interaction with the union.
