Helping Families
Choose Quality Child Care

• Don't Worry. . . We'll Help You Get Started
• Resource and Referral: How it Works
• Your Child Comes First
• Choosing the Right Caregiver
• Licensing and Regulation
• The Family Care Safety Registry
• Selecting the Right Program
• Special Needs
• Recognizing the Right Place
• In-Home Care
• Make the Right Decision

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?

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?

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.

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.

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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