Increasingly, infants are placed in daycare at very early ages as parents return to the workforce. While infant daycare is a common option for parents, selecting and evaluating daycare for infants is a serious task not to be taken lightly.
Selecting or evaluating daycare for infants involves understanding daycare facilities, staff, programs and policies. Interviewing early childhood educators, daycare providers, preschool teachers, and nannies is an important step in evaluating infant daycare.
Having the right information and asking the right questions allows parents gain confidence and security when faced with the decision of whether or not to leave their infant in the hands of a child care professional.
Selection Criteria
Ashley Murphree, owner of Carpe Diem Private Preschools in Texas, suggests that parents gather the following information when evaluating infant daycare:
- Be sure to find out how much experience the child care provider has with infants. Are they certified in infant CPR and first aid?
- Get an understanding of what the caregiver knows about infant development. This is important because the daycare provider must be able to provide age and interest level appropriate activities and expert, loving care.
- It is important to know your daycare provider’s stance on nurturing and stimulating infants.
- Find out how the caregivers will interact with the infants and how responsive they will be to each child.
- Get information about the daycare provider’s schedules for infants.
- Determine if the environment is clean and safe.
- It is important to know what type of equipment and materials are available for infants.
- Consider how the daycare provider communicates with parents as well as what their expectations are of parents.
Important Specific Questions
Parents should make a concise list of questions for the infant daycare provider and take it along with them to the daycare facility or when interviewing nannies.
Silvana Clark, professional speaker and the author 101 Tips for Child Development Training: 101 Quick Tips for Managing a Preschool or Daycare [Totline Publications, 1996] suggests including the following questions:
- How are bottles and formula stored? Are there seat belts on high chairs and infant seats?
- Are babies held during feeding? Are babies out of the crib when awake? Is the facility licensed?
- Are emergency exits clearly marked? How often are smoke detectors checked?
- How often are changing tables disinfected?
- Will my baby have his or her own bed?
- Is water temperature below 120 degrees?
- Are there quiet areas for baby to sit and observe?
- How is the cleanliness of the kitchen?
- What stimulating activities are available for babies?
Clark also suggests that parents visit each facility at least twice and at different times of the day, dropping by unannounced.
