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Finding Quality Child Care
When you have to go back to work or simply want to provide your child with opportunities to socialize, it is important to find safe and appropriate child care.
Child Care Resource Development Centers will help you to do that. These centers will assist you (at no cost) in finding child care by making referrals (not recommendations) based on your family's needs. For more information, http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/occhs/infoparents.htm
What to Ask when Looking for Child Care...
- How many children and caregivers are there? How many children does one caregiver have responsibility for watching at one time?
- What activities are offered to the children during child care hours?
- How are parents involved in the program? Are parents encouraged to be a part of your program?
- How will you make sure that my child stays healthy and eats well?
- Is your child care center cleaned regularly?
- Are all the toys disinfected on a regular basis?
- Do caregivers wash their hands before handling food, especially after changing diapers, blowing noses, and taking children to the toilet?
- Are all medications stored safely out of the reach of children?
- How do you handle a child who misbehaves?
- What kind of learning activities do you involve the children in?
- How will you make sure that my child is safe?
- How will you help my child's confidence, independence, and self esteem grow?
- Do you offer separate activities for children in different age groups?
- How will you let me know how well my child is doing?
The following links provide additional child care information.
Department of Health and Human Services Child Care Bureau:
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ccb/
Head Start:
http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/ocfs/ec/occhs/headstart.htm
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