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Find the Best Child Care

Not all day cares are created equally. Here’s how to make sure your child is getting the best care possible.

by: Nancy Ripton

inding the right child care fit for you and your baby can be tough. In those early, sleep-deprived days there were likely moments when you would happily have handed him over to someone else but, now that you don't have a choice, it can be a lot harder to let go. Fortunately, there are a variety of child care options to choose from. Here's an overview of the top three:

Day Care

A day care center is a group-setting childcare facility, run part- or full-time. It pays to get on waiting lists early, but don't be discouraged by long lists. "People find other care, and lists can move faster than expected," says Linda Smith, executive director of (NACCRRA). Some things to consider:

• a long wait list doesn't necessarily mean quality child care
• a positive referral from a friend is also no guarantee-the onus is on you to do the research
• NACCRRA has developed 38 indicators of quality (available at naccrra.org) to guide parents. "Having an official checklist often makes parents feel more at ease about asking the tough questions," says Smith. (In Canada, check out the Canadian Child Care Federation at cccf-fcsge.ca.)
• licensing requirements vary - providers should, however, have a minimum of 40 hours of training covering topics such as: shaken baby syndrome, health and sanitation, SIDS, CPR, first aid and how to respond to misbehavior
• an acceptable child to adult ratio is 3:1 for infants and 4:1 for young toddlers
• day care often fits the traditional nine-to-five work style - some charge hefty penalties for late pickups
• rates vary from about $600 to $1,200 (US) per month