How to Choose Quality Child Care

Choosing child care can be a challenging experience. You have so many questions: What will my child do all day? Is the provider safe? How do I know if the environment is safe and healthy? Will my child be spanked if he misbehaves?

One of the options you will want to decide is what kind of care am I looking for? What kind of an environment will be best for my child?

Child Care Center - a licensed center is usually a large facility licensed for more than 12 children. It will have several care providers depending on the age of the children
Family Child Care home - Located in the provider’s home, this is a smaller licensed facility with a maximum of 12 children birth through age 11.
Preschool - a stand-alone preschool is not licensed by the state but provides an educational experience for young children. Children cannot stay at a preschool longer than 4 hours.
Play and Learn Groups - call Parent Line for locations
College Cooperative Preschools - parents and children enjoy activities together

Guide to Finding Quality Child Care
The Washington Department of Early Learning works to help Washington's children get ready for school and life. Their focus is on children's earliest years of life. They offer information and resources for children's first and most important teachers - parents - as well as others who care for and teach young children.

The Department of Early Learning has developed a booklet entitled "A Guide to Finding Quality Child Care." In the booklet you will find questions to ask, and a checklist you can take with you as you interview potential providers. Follow the link below, or you can call Parent Line at 1-800-300-1247 and we can mail you a copy. Download the Guide to Finding Quality Child Care

Visit the child care options you are considering. Find out about these key indicators of quality:

Adult to Child Ratio. Ask how many children there are for each adult. The fewer the 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 ratio of no more than 1:4 (one adult for four infants), while four-year-olds can do well with a ratio of 1:10 (one adult for 10 children).
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 with two adults. Both groups have the same adult to child ratio. Which would be calmer and safer? 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 caregivers 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 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 Young Children (NAEYC) and The National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) are the two largest organizations that accredit child care programs.

School's Out Washington
School's Out Washington is an intermediary agency which provides services and guidance for organizations to ensure all young people have safe places to learn and grow when not in school. School's Out is dedicated to building community systems to support quality out-of-school time programs for Washington's 5-18 year olds through training, advocacy and leadership.