Interviewing Daycare

Here is my standard questionnaire that I ask the director (and some of these that I ask are not relevant to my child, but it's still good to know the answer) In no particular order and I'm sure I'll forget some important ones!:

1. Who has access to the center during business hours?
2. Are visitors/vendors escorted while on the premises?
3. How is discipline handled?
4. What is the student teacher ratio in each room?
5. What is the tuition?
6. What is the policy on vacations for students?
7. Who fills in for absent teachers?
8. What is a typical day like in the toddler room, baby room?
9. What meals are served?
10.How are special diets handled?
11. Who cleans the center? Professionals, teachers, etc??
12. Is video monitoring available via internet?
13. What security measures are in place for disasters? Natural and terrorist (post 9-11, they should have a plan for this).
14. Are background checks done on every teacher at the center?
15. Is it just TX or ALL states?
16. Are the teachers required to be certified/degreed?
17. Are there random drug tests for the teachers?
18. Do you follow a curriculum? Is the school accredited?
19. How often is the play equipment inspected for damage?
20. What is the accident policy?
21. Where do the children sleep during naptime?
22. Is smoking permitted at the center?
23. What do you expect from your teachers (assuming you are talking to the director)?
24. What is the turn-over rate on the teachers? (That is a sign of a good center if the teachers have been there for years).
25. What is the turn-over rate for the students (another sign).
26. What is the policy for sick children?
27. What vaccinations do the children need to have to attend the center?
28. Will there be a daily report of my child's activities?
29. Is there an open door policy (ie, can a parent show up un-announced. This is a no-brainer, but if you are ever told No, RUN!)
30. Do they transport the children?
31. What safety procedures are in place to ensure every child is accounted for in the center, outside the center, in a bus, etc...

That's all I can think of off the top of my head. The answers you receive should all be acceptable and there shouldn't be any hesitation on their part. Use your gut and if you like what the answers are, try it out. Also, really pay attention to the other children when you are there. Go in the middle of the day and watch them to see if they look like they are being well-cared for and not ignored. The kids should be happy and not yucky looking (ie, sick kids with snot noses etc!!). Look for a clean facility too. See if they take pride in the center. That is a good indication too. Good luck and if you have any questions, please send me a note!!!

Any daycare you find, you should check them out at the Department of Family and Protective Services -- the government agency that licenses child care centers. There is also some helpful information:
http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/child_care/about_child_care_l...

You want to pay attention to all the things you have complaints about at your previous daycare! Keep babies separate, what is the teacher/child ratio, what do they do if the teacher calls in sick -- who fills in?, what type of security do they have in place, how clean is it, what is their policy on disinfecting toys, where do they store bottles...

Also, just from personal experience, when we searched for daycare for our daughter, the first thing we did was take a good look at our budget. We did not want cost to be a consideration, so we came up with the absolute highest amount we could spend before it would make more sense just to live on one income. We agreed that if we couldn't find a place we were completely comfortable with within our price range, we'd live on one income and sell the house if we had to. I just cringe at the idea of shopping for daycare with the mindset that you're looking for the "best deal." This was my KID, not a new pair of shoes!!!
Anyway, we found a fantastic place and it was within our budget (only just barely!!).

Shelby,

All these questions are EXACTLY why I went to a smaller in-home daycare. I would go early to my previous daycare and watch the non-English speaking assistant wash her hands between each kid. She meticulously followed the rules. The owner,however, was a different story. I watched her several times and she never washed her hands or used sanitizer.

My daycare lady uses it all the time. Sprays down the diaper changing area after each use. The kids are kept in separate pack-n-plays/cribs. One is even in a bassinet. She cleans the entire room after the end of the day. There are only 5 kids and I like it smaller. My son gets lots of love and has better health than ever. In the other daycare, he was catching a cold every 6 weeks. Now, it's just twice a year.

Judit is loving and wonderful. She is in Plano, is an amazing cook, good to the kids. My son's behavior has changed from being defensive to trusting and friendly. His language skills and verbalization have improved dramatically and we understand him so much better now.

Judit's prices include wipes and diapers. You just bring the kid.

She's reasonable and has very flexible hours. Her number is (972) 424 - 8313.

S., In addition to checking the state's website and asking pertinent questions, in my experience, the best advice I have is to visit your favorite centers at least 1 or 2 more times at different times of the day. It was absolutely amazing to me how different my perception of the same center was the second time I visited.

I had visited several centers by myself and I had my heart set on one particular day care, but decided to take my husband to the top 3 that I had found. When he and I visited, I had a completely different experience with all 3 of them. My third favorite turned out to be one I couldn't believe I even included in my top 3. My favorite didn't seem so special any more and we ended up liking my 2nd favorite far more than either of the other 2.

I think the first time I visited the centers, I was much more in tune with the visual aspect of everything. The cleanliness the decorations, the facility, etc. When I went back, I was able to look more at the interactions between the teachers, the children, the staff, etc., and was able to ascertain more about the curriculums and center philosophies. I was also able to see the flaws in the centers that I hadn't really noticed before. Things like room sizes, noise levels, equipment condition and just the general demeanor of the children and their caregivers.

I'm so sorry that you had a bad experience with your previous day care, but I guess you can consider it a learning opportunity. You'll be more prepared and more vigilent when looking for replacement care for your son. Just be sure to visit more than once, and if you get warm and fuzzy feelings each time you visit, that's probably a good sign. Good luck! :-)