Helping
Families
Choose Quality Child Care
Now that you're about to select a child care
provider, you want to know how to make a wise choice.
Quality care makes all the difference in the life
of your child. That's why you'll want to find just the right caregiver.
Someone who will love and care for your child like you do. Someone
who sees eye to eye with you on what's best for your child. Someone
who will provide the best possible environment for your child's
growth and development.
Don't
Worry. . . We'll Help You Get Started
When it comes to finding child care, you may feel
a little overwhelmed at first. That's perfectly natural! Once you
know what to look for, you'll want to know where you can go to find
it. That's how your local child care resource and referral agency
(CCR&R) can help you. The staff members there will do all they can
to help you so that you can find the caregiver or program that best
suits you and your child.
How to find us
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Resource
and Referral: How it Works
Throughout Missouri, there are local CCR&R
agencies. The one nearest you will give you information about local
child care providers that meet your basic requirements for your
child's care and who may have openings. Once you have a list of
these providers, you can start interviewing them. Search carefully
and completely and remember to ask potential providers lots of questions.
Soon you'll be on your way to finding quality care for your child.
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Your
Child Comes First
Of course, as a parent, you're constantly putting
your child first! When you're interviewing providers, consider your
child's point of view. Think about what kinds of people and activities
make your child comfortable and happy.
Think of the questions your child might ask:
- Who's going to care for me?
- Are there plenty of toys I can reach and enjoy?
- Where will I keep my "stuff"?
- Is everyone having fun?
- What will I do all day?
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Choosing
the Right Caregiver
The right caregiver will develop a positive, loving
relationship with your child. This is a key indicator of quality
care. The right caregiver will also relate well to you and have
values and attitudes that are similar to yours. Watch the caregiver
interact with the children.
Then ask these questions:
- Are the children happy and involved?
- Does the provider seem warm and friendly?
- Is she or he calm and patient with the children?
- Does the provider listen to the children?
- Does the provider talk to them and encourage
them to express themselves?
- Does the caregiver have special training or
credentials?
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Licensing
and Regulation
In Missouri, you'll find three categories of child
care: licensed, license-exempt, and unregulated. Licensed providers
have been inspected by the State Department of Health to ensure
they meet all child care requirements. License-exempt providers
have been inspected to ensure they meet basic health and safety
standards. For more information on child care licensing go to: www.dhss.mo.gov/childcare/FAQs.htm
Unregulated providers are not inspected by any
agency. The staff of your local CCR&R can explain the differences
in regulations for child care centers, family child care homes,
part-day and full-day programs, and after-school programs.
If you choose a provider who is not licensed by
the State of Missouri, you can request a background screening on
the provider. You can also request a background check on all adults
over the age of 18 who reside in the household. If the State of
Missouri helps pay for your child care costs, background checks
are required. A screening is not a guarantee of safety for your
child but it can provide you with important information on the provider’s
history. The form is available from the Missouri Family Services
Division or the Missouri State Highway Patrol. You can also
use the Family Care Safety Registry to screen your potential caregiver
for child abuse/neglect or criminal background checks.
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The Family Care Safety
Registry
The Family Care Safety Registry was established by law to promote
family and community safety. The registry helps to protect children
and the elderly in Missouri by providing access to background information
on registered child care and elder care workers. Child care providers
may register with the Registry (anyone hired as a child care worker
after January 1, 2001 is required to register within 15 days of
employment.) For specific information on the Registry contact them
toll-free at 866-422-6872 or www.dhss.mo.gov/fcsr.
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Selecting
the Right Program
The right program will show signs of quality
care. Look for activities and experiences that are appropriate for
your child's age and that will help him or her learn and grow.
When you visit a center or home, ask these questions:
- Is there a choice of toys and materials for
the age of my child?
- Do the activities allow children to think and
play creatively?
- Can children play alone and in groups?
- Is a schedule posted?Does it include a mix of
times for play, activities, stories, and rest?
- Can parents visit at any time of the day?
- What training has the provider received?
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Special Needs
If your child has special needs, our Inclusion
Specialists can help you find child care appropriate for your child.
We also help child care providers obtain the training or skills
they need to better care for children with special
needs.
Recognizing
the Right Place
The physical setting or environment is another
important sign of quality child care. You want to make sure your
child is healthy, safe, and comfortable while you're away.
To make sure the place is right for your child,
consider these questions:
- If required, is a current license or certificate
displayed?
- Are there enough caregivers for the number and
ages of children?
- Are the exits unblocked and are there fire extinguishers
and smoke detectors?
- Are the rooms clean, well-lit, and cheerful?
- Are there enough materials and equipment for
play? Are they clean, in good repair, and appropriate?
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In-Home Care
Some families choose to hire a nanny, an au
pair, or other caregiver to come to their home to care for a child
or children. This is a wonderful option in many cases but this type
of care is not regulated and requires special considerations on
the part of the family employing the caregiver. You may wish to
run a background screening to check potential providers for substantiated
child abuse complaints or criminal offenses. The Family Care Safety
Registry provides access to background information on registered
child and elder care workers. Contact them toll-free at 1-866-422-6872
or www.dhss.mo.gov/fcsr.
When you hire an in-home caregiver you become
an employer. This has legal and financial implications and obligations.
You may wish to consult an attorney for help creating an employment
agreement and a tax specialist or the IRS for information on your
obligations
as an employer.
Make
the Right Decision
Be sure to visit every program you are considering.
Visit more than once, at different hours of the day. That's the
best way to see how the program works. You'll also get a better
"feel" for the caregiver's style and daily routines. Keep
up the visits once you've enrolled your child, and keep the lines
of communication open between you and the caregiver. Remember, quality
of care may vary from one program or provider to the next. For this
reason, Missouri CCR&R agencies cannot recommend individual providers
or programs. As a parent, you're the one who is truly qualified
to judge which care is best for your child.
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