When parents are out searching for formal daycare centers, they may quickly find themselves overwhelmed by all the options available today. Regardless of the facility’s advertising or prices, parents need to perform their own due diligence when inspecting and interviewing these care facilities. Luckily there are ways parents can properly size up potential daycare providers or facilities to ensure their children are safe.

How do I choose the right daycare provider?

In addition to hearing great things from a fellow parent who uses a particular daycare provider, there are several steps you can take to personally ensure you use the right daycare provider for your child, such as:

1. See how the staff interacts with the children. As you are touring the facility, look to see specifically how the staff interacts with the children there - not yourself. You should see the caregiver on the floor with the children, playing with them, holding young ones and giving them close, loving interactions. The caregivers should be warm and responsive toward all of the children under their care and there should be adequate staff-to-children ratios. If there is just one caregiver to a room of six or more, it may be too crowded and your child is unlikely to get the one-on-one attention they deserve.
2. Discuss their commitment. Your child needs stability and predictable care. Ask about turnover rates at the facility and see how long caregivers have been employed. If most of the caregivers are short-term or have not been there long, look at facilities that have committed daycare workers. If your child has to constantly experience turnover and new daycare providers, it can cause anxiety and confusion - especially for infants.
3. Check their licensing and accreditations. Daycare facilities must be state licensed in order to practice. They also should have a business license and insurance. Also look for special accreditations from state and national organizations. The more credentials they have, the more serious the facility is about providing high-quality daycare.
4. Drop by unannounced for a visit. Before selecting a daycare, make sure you stop by unannounced for another visit. This ensures that you can inspect the facility when providers are not expecting you. Look for cleanliness, how well the children are kept, how the caregivers are acting and if there is proper childproofing present.
5. Ask about their special care policies. You should know how they handle discipline, naps and even special diets. The daycare facility should have policies in place to care for all special situations. If your child has a special need, make sure the provider has a policy in place to address it.

Was Your Child Injured in a Daycare Facility?

If your child was seriously injured due to negligent supervision or abuse by a daycare provider, contact a personal injury lawyer using Lawyer Friend, to put you in contact with an experienced attorney near you.