A guide to the best resources for selecting daycare providers, sitters, and nannies on the internet.

Selecting daycare for your child can be a daunting task. While parents and guardians used to rely largely on word of mouth, the trend toward finding daycare providers, nannies, and preschools online is on the rise.

Selecting childcare via the internet is a convenient alternative that allows families to gain access to large databases of child care providers and perform background and reference checks without leaving their home.

Online Child Care Websites

There are a variety of websites to choose from. Daycare.com is a user friendly site that provides a way for parents to search for quality daycare. Users can search by zip code or area code to find local daycare facilities along with pertinent information such as licensing, special services, maximum capacity, and the age ranges of children accepted. It is also a great place for daycare providers to advertise their services. There is also a forum where parents and educators can discuss issues in daycare.

Sittercity offers access to hundreds of thousands of daycare providers and sitters. Sittercity ranks each professional by criteria such as parent feedback, qualifications, and background checks. Parents can check references and read other parent’s feedback about each client. For $9.99 users can perform a LexisNexis background check on the potential daycare provider. Parents and guardians can also post a job that they need filled and receive applications from sitters.

Child Care Aware is a program sponsored by the National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies. Child Care Aware directs parents and guardians toward local quality child care and child care resources. Enter your zip code and or search by state and country to receive referrals to quality organizations that will assist you in finding the childcare solution that is best for you.

In you are interested in a live in or live out nanny, try searching a database like Nannies4hire.com. Nannies4hire is part of the International Nanny Association and is a great tool for selecting a professional, high quality nanny. Once you find the nanny that best meets your needs, you may run a background check. Along with the database of high quality nannies, the website also offers sample reference forms, contracts, and interview questions.

Tips for Selecting Daycare Online

• Thoroughly check references before hiring a daycare provider.
• Always perform a background check on the sitter or nanny. If the daycare provider will be living with you, it is especially important to perform a credit check and a criminal background check. Also check their driving record and verify their employment history.
• Make sure you prepare the critical questions before interviewing a daycare provider so that you leave as few stones unturned as possible.
• When selecting a family daycare, be sure to check for proper licensing

For more information about selecting quality daycare, see How to Select a Daycare Provider.

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