There are six key indicators which can be used to evaluate the quality of a child care environment:  groups size, adult to child ratio, caregiver qualifications, turnover, accreditation and family involvement.  So when looking for child care consider the following:

Adult to Child Ratio: Ask how many children there are for each adult. The fewer children for each adult, the better for your child. You want your child to get plenty of attention. The younger your child, the more important this is. Babies need an adult to child ration of no more that 1:4, while four-year-olds can do well with a ration of 1:10.

Group size: Find out how many children are in the group. The smaller the group, the better. Imagine a group of 25 two-year olds with five adults, compared to a group of 10 to two adults. Both groups have the same adult to child ratio. Which would be safer and calmer? Which would be more like a family?

Caregiver qualifications: Ask about the caregivers’ training and education. Caregivers with degrees and/or special training in working with children will be better able to help your child learn. Are the caregivers involved in activities to improve their skills? Do they attend classes and workshops?

Turnover: Check how long caregiver have been at the center or providing care in their homes. It’s best if children stay with the same caregiver at least a year. Caregivers who come and go make it hard on your child. Getting used to new caregivers takes time and energy that could be spent on learning new things.

Accreditation: Find out if the child care provider has been accredited by a national organization. Providers that are accredited have met voluntary standards for child care that are higher than most state licensing requirements. The National Association for the education of your children (NAEYC) and the National Association for Family child Care (NAFCC) are the two largest organizations that accredit child care programs.

Family Involvement: The work isn’t over when you find good child care for your child. You and your child’s caregiver are partners now. Here are some ways to be involved.

• Have parent-caregiver meetings regularly and ask questions
• Offer to volunteer time when needed, like participating in clean up days, fixing broken toys.
• Be there for your child’s birthday party.
• Visit your child at child care and read a book out loud
• Join in special events, like field trips, Career Day, Black History Month or other holidays

In addition look for a healthy and safe environment. The facility should be clean, any outdoor space should be free of debris and have equipment in good condition. Employees and children should wash hands regularly and any toxic substances should be out of reach of children.