Early learning programs enable children to develop and strengthen their skills, improve their math, social and language skills. In this way, children are better prepared for school, and they take their responsibilities very seriously. Whether you are a parent who is not employed and has time to dedicate to children, or you are one of those who are busy all day at work, such programs are in both cases something that a child can hardly afford at home.
The search for high-quality care for children, or their education, is a special challenge for every parent. If you are a parent who is in this search for the first time, we advise you to arm yourself with patience because you will need it for sure. You will be confronted with a huge list of daycare centers that are imposed on you as the best choice for your child. And that’s where the chaos comes from. The programs are more or less similar which makes the selection even more difficult and tedious. This immediately raises the question of what it is that makes a childcare facility high quality. In the first place certainly takes care and the environment, followed by learning.
To help you with this stressful search, you can read below what are the characteristics of a good quality child care provider.
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In the first place, you need to pay attention to the staff and teachers. However, they are the ones who come into direct contact with your child and educate him. Ask if the center employs enough professional staff with previous experience. Educators should be good enough educators who know how to adapt materials and programs to children of any age. A quality institution is also characterized by frequent courses and additional training at the collective level. Ask how active members of the community are. This way you will know more about their responsibility and empathy.
Since children have tremendous energy and know-how to be on their feet all day, their caregiver must be a person who will have the energy to accompany it all. They must be resilient physically but also mentally. Not to mention that they have to be vigilant in their workplace.
More than anyone, the staff must take care of their hygiene, but also the hygiene of the entire center. A good caregiver washes his hands after each diaper change. Toys must be clean. Floors must be wiped regularly and rooms ventilated. Diaper changing and food preparation sectors need to be separate.
Another characteristic of a quality child care center is the relationship between employees and children attending the institution. What should be the standard is that one teacher/carer must be present at four children under the age of 18 months. In the case of two-year-olds, there may be six to one caregiver, and 10 months in the case of 3-year-olds. One caregiver is needed for 10 children aged 4 and older.
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A good caregiver should not use baby talk with children, but it should never be too harsh. It should be a motivator that encourages the child’s social and cognitive development. Check out how an educator should look and behave at Wee Watch
A very good feature of such an institution is that it works in small groups. The smaller the group, the better the teacher can dedicate himself to each child and get to know his / her specifics so that they can develop further. In large groups, teachers are more focused on the implementation of the curriculum because it is simply impossible to dedicate to the individual skills and progress of the child.
In addition to the teachers themselves, the facility where your child will stay plays a big role. Classrooms, where children stay, must be well lit and very tidy. Hygiene comes first. Cleanliness must be at the highest level not only in the rooms where children socialize and play but also in the toilets and food preparation rooms. Classrooms should not be too cramped and should contain games and props that allow the development of the child’s skills.
Any center of this type should be safe for children. Feel free to inquire about the security systems and protocols that exist at the center. Feel free to ask more questions about your child’s safety and see for yourself by checking the premises. Also, all employees should be familiar with the rules and actions in emergencies.
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Quality is best measured by results, so a high-quality institution of this type must activate children of any age to engage in workshops, projects and activities that absolutely suit their age. Ask children and parents whose children are already enrolled in this institution how often they were engaged and activated. Whatever the situation, early childhood education must be interactive and practical.
To be sure of everything you learn or notice during the visit, we suggest you talk to the staff. Ask them all the doubts and questions that bother you. If it is a high-quality institution, they will also be interested in talking to you. They will be interested in parental feedback. Only the best are ready to accept criticism and apply the suggestions made by children’s parents. This kind of communication should be present throughout your child’s stay. The center should show its transparency at any time through mutual communication.
Don’t choose the right childcare program as a nightmare. Be creative and convey to the child the thought that all this is kind of a game. Remember the psychological thoughts: if you go into this endeavor with easiness and think of it as something that is very good for your child’s growing up, it will be exactly like that.
When you make a list of such institutions, you will probably reduce it to 3 or 4 institutions very quickly, as soon as you get acquainted with their programs. Don’t be lazy, visit each one and make a reminder of what you need to check. Think of it more as a challenge. We have given you a little guide, it is up to you to have enough patience to choose the right one for your child.
