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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

Home Care

Also called family day care, home care takes place in a provider's house. The groups tend to be smaller and the setting more intimate. Some things to consider:

• make sure care providers agree with you on key issues, such as how to deal with a child who is misbehaving
• don't assume a background check has been done; always do your own (you can order a background check through 4nannies.com)
• home cares tend to have more flexible hours than day cares
• prices range from $450 to $800 (US) per month
• most don't have official waiting lists, so start looking about three to six months before returning to work

Nannies

Great for parents with inflexible work hours or who have more than one child. Things to consider:

• prices range from $1,700 to over $3,000 (US) per month
• in the United States, you are responsible for Social Security taxes, which can add 10 to 12 percent to the gross cost of the nanny (assuming the family is deducting the employee portion of the taxes). You may also pay some portion of the nanny's monthly health insurance premium
• allow eight to 10 weeks to find a live-in nanny or six to eight weeks for a live out
• try to have at least a few days of overlap before you go back to work so you can get comfortable with each other
• you can use an agency or online service help to find a nanny, but it's up to you to research the person and do a background check
• ask an array of behavioral and emergency situation questions and look into past experience

Safety Tip

Whatever form of child care you choose, it's always a good idea to do random check-ins from time to time. "Forget something on the way to work and turn back," says the Nanny Network's Kathleen Webb. It's the best way to catch the provider in the act of doing something you may not agree with. "But remember, it's also a chance to see your nanny doing a good job, which will help put your mind at ease."

Meet our experts:

Linda Smith is the executive director of the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA), the nation's leading voice for child care. Kathleen Webb is the founder of Nanny Network, a nanny directory agency.