Title: Identify criteria for selecting and evaluating childcare services.
Course: Child Development and Parenting (19255-18) > Section: Evaluating Support Systems that Provide Services for Parents

Identification should include examination and assessment of the following aspects of the childcare organization:

- Ages of children in their care
- Location and hours
- Fees (including policy about childcare subsidies)
- Recommendations from other parents, based on experiences
- Licensure and accreditation (e.g., NAEYC, NAFCC)
- Virginia Quality (VQ) rating
- Caregiver’s philosophy, goals, and qualifications (e.g., education, experience, continuing training)
- Caregiver’s characteristics (e.g., nurturing, energetic, sensitive, confidential)
- Adult-to-child ratio and level of caregivers’ attention to each child
- Consistency of caregivers, rate of employee turnover
- Physical environment (space, ambiance, condition and maintenance of facilities, equipment, and materials)
- Emotional and social climate
- Health and safety practices for children and caregivers
- Policies on transportation of children
- Feeding practices, including provision of nutritious meals and snacks
- Diapering and toileting procedures
- Guidance and discipline practices, including policy on use of corporal punishment
- Group structures (infants, toddlers, mixed-ages)
- Developmentally appropriate program of activities
- Developmentally appropriate use of equipment, materials, electronic technology (e.g., TV, Internet)
- Classroom transition practices (e.g., arrival/departure, changing classroom activities) and programmatic transition practices (e.g., entering/leaving program, moving to new location, changing caregivers, moving to kindergarten)
- Administration of the organization
- Encouragement of parental involvement, including ongoing, effective communication with parents

Process/Skill Questions

Thinking

- Why should parents be vigilant in their evaluation of childcare services?
- How important is accreditation to a childcare program?
- What are the benefits and disadvantages of government licensing of childcare centers?
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of being a stay-at-home parent?

Communication

- What are the primary qualities of a good childcare program?
- How are the qualities of a good childcare center and a good in-home provider similar? How are they different?
- What questions would you ask a childcare administrator or provider?
- Why is continual communication between caregivers and parents important?
- What type of communication should occur between parents and caregivers?

Leadership

- What factors determine the suitability of a childcare program for a particular child?
- What would an ideal childcare center look like? How would it operate?

Management

- What information do parents need to evaluate childcare options?
- What steps should parents take to find out the qualifications of childcare providers?
- How important are references when parents are considering childcare options?
- What opportunities are available for parents to serve in an advisory capacity to childcare centers?