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Rebecca Watson Only About Children's Head of Curriculum & Innovation provides some top tips
If you've never tackled the child care jungle before, then it can be a bit daunting. Knowing what you want is one thing; finding it is another.
The important thing with child care is to be flexible and keep your options open. There is no one-size-fits-all policy when it comes to anything to do with children, least of all child care and different types of care offer different advantages and disadvantages depending on your own personal circumstances.
Child care is of course in short supply so you may have to go on a wait list for popular or over-subscribed child care services. You can avoid wait listing to a certain extent by using our child care search tool and only contacting those centres that have current vacancies.
But supply and demand in suburban and urban areas is such that most child care centres will have a waiting list and fees for wait listing can be around $20 to $40, but some child care centres may charge a lot more.
You are well within your rights though to ask how they manage their waiting lists. Child care providers should be honest about your chances of getting a place within your required time frame and they should be open about how that waiting list is managed. To find out more read our article on wait listing.
If you have decided to go for family day care or a long day care service, it helps to know what to look out for and questions to ask.
Rebecca Watson Head of Curriculum and Innovation at child care company Only About Children (OAC) has a few tips for prospective parents trying to decide on a child care centre.
1. Is the space a safe, creative, learning environment?
The safety of the children is always paramount. Keypad security, safety gates, shaded play areas and age appropriate play equipment are things to look out for.
- The learning environment in which a child is surrounded by must be stimulating, encouraging and engaging.
- This can be achieved through in following ways:
- The inclusion of dedicated art spaces, libraries and dining areas in all classrooms
- Outdoor environments that support sustainable practices, including recycling, water conservation and gardening
- The predominant use of natural based resources over plastic
- The integration of technology for learning, including iPads.
We suggest taking a tour the centre before enrolling.
2. Are the staff qualified and caring?
Trained and qualified staff is an advantage over nannies and home day-care. Child care employees should be educated, passionate, responsible and enthusiastic.
We recommend checking the qualifications of the Director and educators and enquire about the child to staff ratios. It is imperative that your child receives sufficient care and attention.
3. Is there an educational practice in place and is it age appropriate?
Ask questions about the curriculum or daily routine. Does it support the Early Years Learning Framework adopted by main lead childcare centres? Is there a brochure you can read?
There should be a defined curriculum areas specific to nursery, toddler and preschool age children with design, planning and resourcing of all learning environments and planning, documentation and reporting expectations
The curriculum areas might be integrated into the daily program for all children. At OAC for example, these include:
- Literacy and numeracy
- Science, technology and inquiry based learning
- Creative arts including art, music, drama and movement
- Sustainable practices and community responsibility
- Respectful relationships and caring for one another
4. Is your Child's health a priority?
Social and emotional wellbeing in young developing children and a healthy start to life is important not only for future learning but also for supporting the child well into adult life.
Children aren't small adults, so their nutrition needs are different. Rapid growth means the energy needs for their size are high. To meet energy and nutrition requirements for growth and development, children benefit from having a variety of foods from the five food groups.
Ask to see the menu that is on offer. Is it wholesome, healthy and delicious food?
Ask also about any provision for the following:
- Annual developmental screening and reporting for vision, speech and hearing
- Child referral, consultancy, early intervention and therapy
- Educator training for children with special needs and severe allergies
- Infectious disease advisement
5. Is your child happy and secure?
Secure and caring relationships between the children and the educators are very important. It is critical in children being able to experience learning positively. Pay attention to the mood of the other children and educators when touring the centre.
A great gauge for how your child will be treated is how welcome you and your child are made to feel upon your introduction, and whether the children at the campus are engaged and enjoying their activities.
For more advice from Rebecca or information on OAC - click here.
We recommend you speak to other parents of children who already attend the service and also check the testimonials on our website. Regardless of which sort of care you decide to choose, good luck and if you need more information then we have a very helpful Child Care Toolkit to help you find the best quality child care.
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