Childcare/Daycare
Choosing the right child care can be an overwhelming task.
Good infant-family mental health requires stimulating, nurturing care for infants and young children. In order to flourish, children need all four domains of their development—social-emotional, motor, cognitive, and sensory—to be supported within their child care environment. This new understanding has revolutionized child care centers, where creating more relationship-based environments have become a priority for families. Whether at home with a nanny, or in a child care facility, a responsive, well-trained, caregiver is crucial for a child to thrive.
Some key questions to consider when choosing a child care facility:
- Is the child care provider licensed?
- Are staffers trained in infant-toddler development?
- How does the staff treat the children/infants? Do they enjoy being with the children? (Ask to observe.)
- Can the child care providers and the environment accommodate any special needs your child has?
- Is the child care facility sanitary? Is it safe?
- How do the caregivers handle conflict/discipline/weaning/toilet training/feeding?
- Does your child enjoy being there?
(Adapted from Zero to Three: Choosing Quality Childcare)
For further reading:
www.zerotothree.org/