Tips on Choosing a Child Care Centre

Posted on: 16 August 2018

Choosing a child care centre that will meet your needs is important for both you and your child. Obviously you want your child to be comfortable and tended to appropriately while in someone else's care, but you also want a child care centre that is conveniently located and safe for your child. Note what is meant by that, along with a few tips on choosing the best child care centre for your family.

Location

Note whether you can easily access a child care centre during the hours you would be dropping off and picking up your child. For example, if you need child care while you're at work during the day, it's good to drive by a few potential centres while on your way to the office, rather than in the evening or weekend.

Note whether roads in and out of the facility are overly crowded during that time of day, whether you can easily turn onto the street where a centre is located, whether a parking lot exit is blocked by traffic and so on. Driving by a centre on a Saturday, when roads are clearer, won't tell you if the centre will be accessible during your daily commute! Ensure you check out the accessibility of a centre during the hours you'll be needing it before making a choice.

Safety of outdoor area

While you want a child care centre that is easily accessible, you might want to avoid one that is located close to a busy roadway. Even if the centre has a secure fence, a child might still find a hole in that fence or try to climb over it. This can be very dangerous for children, as cars travelling at high speeds might not be able to stop in time to avoid hitting them! Consider the safety of the outdoor area and its location when choosing a child care centre, especially if you have a very active child who might try to scale a fence.

Note whether a child can bring their own toys

If your child is a bit nervous about staying in a child care centre, it might be good if they can bring their favourite teddy bear or other toy with them. However, don't assume that a child care centre will allow children to bring their own toys with them; ask about their policy on this so you know you are choose a centre where your child will be comfortable.  

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