The A,B,C's of Quality Childcare

By Dawn Justman, Parent/Provider Services Coordinator, Child Care Resource & Referral

A is for atmosphere. Are the noise levels excessive? Are the children & staff smiling?
B is for behavior management. Praise, redirection, problem solving, ignoring inappropriate behaviors, are some of the skills used by staff to encourage good behavior. A policy is developed on discipline and shared with parents/staff.
C is for counting the children. Do the staff/child ratios meet or exceed regulation standards?
D is for drills. Tornado & fire drills should be conducted monthly and documented for your inspection.
Emergency procedures are developed. Look for an emergency kit.
Feeding is always conducted age appropriately. Infants are held while being fed, older children have utensils to their size.
Good hand washing is evident by the amount of time you see children/staff at the sink.
Handbooks for parents are distributed. You receive information on changes.
Illness policies are established and explained to you. Medication procedures are established.
Jumping and large motor activities are encouraged. Is there an outdoor play area? Children should have scheduled exercise time daily.
Keeping you informed is a priority. You receive written or verbal daily reports.
L is for lesson plans. The posted lessons are developmentally appropriate.
Meals are pleasant. Special dietary restrictions are noted and accommodated whenever possible.
Nutritious snacks and menus are planned and posted.
Other activities are available to children during transitions times. Waiting time is filled with activities.
Personnel that work with the children have adequate education, background checks, CPR/First Aid trainings. You should be able to request verification from your provider.
Quiet areas are separated from play areas. Beds are specific to each child.
Reading is an important part of the curriculum. Pre-reading skills are developed through hands-on activities.
Songs are a part of each day.
Toys are clean and in good repair. A toy cleaning chart is posted.
Under every cloud is a silver lining. A quality provider will always find the good that is in every child and build on that.
Visitors are welcome but a stranger policy is developed.
Whatever the activity, children are always supervised. Good providers are there, physically and mentally.
Xtinquishers /smoke detectors can be seen. The environment is safe for your child.
You see evidence of children in the program area even when they are not there. Children’s art and family photos are displayed.
And a Zest for children surrounds you. Providers bend down to the child’s level when talking, they greet them daily no matter how busy they are, they have a little bit of kid in themselves too!