Below are questions to be aware of when inspecting day care providers
Supervision
· Are children supervised at all times, even when they are sleeping?
· How do the caregivers discipline children? (Hint: Discipline should be positive, clear, consistent, and fair.)
Handwashing and Diapering
· Do all caregivers and children wash their hands often, especially before eating and after using the bathroom or changing diapers?
· Is the place where diapers are changed clean?
· Do caregivers always keep a hand on the child while diapering?
· Do caregivers remove the soiled diaper without dirtying any surface not already in contact with stool or urine?
· Do caregivers clean and sanitize the surface after finishing the changing process? (Hands should be scrubbed with soap and warm running water for at least 20 seconds and then rinsed and dried. The water faucet should be turned off with a paper towel.)
Director Qualifications
· Does the director of a child care center have a bachelor's degree in a child-related field?
· Has the director worked in child care for at least two years?
· Does the director understand what children need to grow and learn?
Lead Teacher Qualifications
· Does the lead teacher in a child care center have a bachelor's degree in a child-related field?
· Has the teacher worked in child care for at least one year?
· Does the teacher give children lessons and toys that are right for their ages?
Child:Staff Ratio and Group Size
· How many children are being cared for in the child care program?
· How many caregivers are there? (Your child will get more attention if each caregiver has fewer children to care for.
The younger the children are, the more caregivers there should be. For example, one family home caregiver should only take care of two infants.)
