What quality standards should you look for when choosing a childcare provider?

Quality childcare providers:
• Can demonstrate that they have met all applicable requirements for local and state licensing.
• Are committed to professionalism and ethical business practices.
• Are sensitive to cultural uniqueness and diversity.
• Make and seek to reach goals of improvement.
• Pay close attention to all areas related to safety, nutrition, health, and sanitation.
• Seek to understand the individual needs of each child.
• Fosters a cheerful, relaxed environment which promotes self-esteem, learning, discovery, and positive peer interaction.
• Provide an environment for learning that stimulates each child intellectually, emotionally, physically, and socially.
• Provide a learning and playing environment that is developmentally appropriate to your child’s age and abilities.
• Maintain teaching staff who are trained in early childhood education, receive ongoing training, and who relate well with children.
• Have a process in place which assesses the progress of each individual child as well as the progress of the center in reaching its goals.
• Maintain an appropriate teacher-to-child ratio. All groups should have at least two teachers. An infant class should have no more than 6 to 8 children, classes with 2 to 3-year-olds should have no more than 14 children, and 4 to 5-year-olds should be in a class with no more than 20 children.
• Encourage parental observation, feedback, suggestions, and involvement.
• Are willing to discuss with you and demonstrate how they are meeting all previous standards of excellence.