Making the Right Decision
One of the most important decisions you will ever make as a parent is
choosing quality child care for your child. Every child is special and unique
and deserves the best start possible. Studies reveal that a high quality child
care program will help prepare a child for school by increasing their chances to
succeed. Research also indicates that employers benefit when their employees’
children are in quality child care arrangements because parents are more secure
and stable in their work environment. This makes parents more productive; this
making a win-win for everyone: parents, children and employers.
How Can the Division of Early Childhood Help Me?
The Division of Early Childhood makes every effort to provide information
parents need to make the best possible child care choices. The Child Care
Licensing Program records a variety of information on licensed facilities that
you might find useful in your search, including:
if a facility is licensed;
substantiated Child Care Licensing Rule Violations and dates those violations are corrected in
the facility; and
if there has been any negative action taken on a facility.
Contact your local Child Care Licenser
to request information on specific licensed child care facilities.
What are Some Other Things I Can Do to Gather Information on Facilities?
Get recommendations from people you know.
Talk to your friends, family members, co-workers, neighbors or others you
know about their experiences with different child care programs.
Visit multiple facilities
Nothing is better than seeing the program first hand
Be sure to take the
Divisions checklist with you when you go!
Contact
Child Care Finder who:
Works with parents, child care providers, businesses, and community
organizations to help promote the availability of quality child care services
Provides parents with child care referrals and information on choosing
quality child care, plus resources on various parenting issues
Offers providers access to valuable training and support services for new
and established programs
Be sure to visit the Resources
page for links to other valuable child care sites that
can assist you in choosing quality care.