How to Choose Safe Childcare

When you're a parent, the idea of having anyone other than yourself or your spouse caring for your child can be extremely nerve-wracking. The reality is, however, that most families have two parents who are in the workforce, and many households are also headed by single parents. 

This means that you may be faced with a need for full-time childcare. 

It's important to find a childcare facility that's going to care for your child and make sure safety is a top priority. Unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death among U.S. children, according to the CDC. Around 9.2 million children go to the emergency department every year because of injuries. 

Injuries are most common in children between the ages of two and five, and some of those happen in childcare facilities or when a child is with a care provider. 

The best thing you can do to protect your child is taking the time initially to vet childcare providers and find the safest, most responsible person or facility. 

The following are things to know as you do that. 

Choose a Licensed Provider

When you choose a licensed childcare provider, it means that they are licensed by your state or local government. This doesn't automatically mean they're safe, but it does give a minimum requirement baseline to start from. Programs are monitored to make sure they stay compliant with their licensing as well. 

Licensing regulations cover things like immunizations and handwashing, nutrition, training requirements, supervision of children, and the number of children that one adult can care for at any time. 

The requirements for licensing vary depending on the state. 

You can visit the National Database of Child Care Licensing Regulations to find out more information for your state. 

Some providers are exempt from licensing, for example, if they only care for a few children. 

Understand Your Options

It's a good idea to know what your options are before you choose any specific type of care. 

The options include:

• Group daycare-this is state-licensed and is similar to a school in the way it's operated. Some employers operate on-site group daycare programs for their employees. 

• In-home daycare-in this option, the care provider may or may not be licensed, depending on the state where you live, and it's run out of the home of a provider. While this may be less expensive than group daycare, there's also less oversight. 

• You might also want to have someone like a nanny who comes to your home. 

Pros and Cons of Daycare

Since hiring a private childcare provider to come to your home is very expensive, many families opt for group daycares. 

There are pros and cons to this. Some of the upsides of choosing a daycare for your child include:

• Your child's care can continue from the time they're an infant, often through the time they're ready for school. 

• A daycare is well-organized and, in many ways is run like a school so that your child can learn in a structured environment and get an education in addition to socialization. 

• Socialization is a critical benefit of daycare. Your child will get the chance to be around other kids their age, and that's helpful for their development. It also better prepares them to head to kindergarten. 

The cons of daycare include the cost, although it's less expensive than many other childcare options, and the potential exposure to sicknesses that can occur. 

Comparing Centers and Providers

Once you have a general idea of the type of childcare you want, it's time to start your search. 

First, you should find recommendations from other parents or people you know. You might also ask your OB-GYN or pediatrician. 

You should also make time to interview a center in person and make sure it at least covers the basics of what you consider quality childcare. 

You should take the extra time to contact both current and former center clients and learn how happy they are with the care their children receive. 

It can also be a good idea to go by the center unannounced. That will let you see how the staff is behaving when they aren't prepared. 

There are also different accreditations for group daycare centers, such as what's available from the National Association for the Education of Young Children. To receive this accreditation a childcare facility has to show they meet very high standards. Examples of high standards include low caregiver turnover and dedication to health and safety. 

There is an accreditation available for in-home daycare, too, from the National Association for Family Child Care. 

Questions to Ask

When you do visit a care center or provider in person, you should be prepared with certain questions. 

Some of the important things to ask include:

• What accreditations does the facility have? Having accreditations doesn't mean that it's automatically a great facility, but it gives you a starting point. 

• A big question to make sure you ask is how many children one provider will care for at any one time. 

• Ask about the overall philosophy of caring for children and educating them that the center uses. 

• Do all of the care providers have CPR and first aid training?

• Are the care providers trained in early childhood education?

• What happens when a child is sick? What are the policies put forth by the facility?

• How is the staff screened, and what type of background checks are done?

When you visit a daycare center, you should also look at how the caregivers and the staff there are interacting with the kids. Young babies and children need to be interacting and close with their caregivers. 

Caregivers should be very responsive and have a warm demeanor. 

Finally, if at all possible, look for a center that welcomes you dropping in once your child is enrolled and one where you can potentially check in by video. A lot of centers are increasingly using technology to keep parents and children connected through the day.