Congregations Caring for Children

Measures of quality and affordability to consider for a child care center:

Environment: How many caregivers will be with a child in a day or

week? Are there plenty of interesting toys and materials for a child to play

with? Is the center organized so a child can find things easily? Are the

children smiling and happy?

Values: What are the provider's philosophy and values? How does the

provider discipline children? How does the provider individualize learn

ing activities, nap, mealtime, and toilet training?

Communication: How does the center staff share information about each

child's progress and daily activities? Can a parent visit at any time? How is

discipline handled?

Staff: How long have the caregivers worked at the center? What is the staff

turnover? Are the management's and caregivers' values the same? Does the

staff seem relaxed and responsive to the children's needs?

Parent Involvement: Are parents welcome to participate in the child care

program? Are they required to volunteer? Does staff encourage their input on

how well their child is doing? How is their child's progress shared with

them?

Education: What type of experience, education, and credentials do the

caregivers have? Is the center a member of the NAEYC?

Licensing: What type of license does the center have? Can a child attend from

infancy to school age? Has Community Care Licensing had any previous

complaints?

Location: How convenient is a center for parents coming from work, home,

bus route, and/or health care provider?

Cost: Can parents afford the monthly tuition? Is there tuition help available?

Is there an additional registration fee? Is there a family discount? Does the

center charge a fee for late pickup? Are there any other costs for materials,

field trips, or books?

Evaluation: Does the program staff have a process of determining what they

are doing well and what needs to be worked on?

Adapted from Your Guide to Child Care by Care About Quality campaign

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