What to Expect from a Daycare Center’s Policies
Whether you opt for a family daycare, a formal child care center or in-home for your child, there are some fundamental things you should be aware of and insist upon.
To help new parents make this all-important decision, we gathered information from early childhood experts for tips on what you should look for in a child care center.
Here are their top suggestions:
A positive yet firm disciplinary approach
Maintaining discipline in a group of small children is challenging, but not impossible. Setting a tone of mutual respect along with cheerful adult leadership is ideally what you should expect from a child care center.
Kids respond well to positive reinforcement, therefore, spanking or harsh language should never be part of a daycare’s disciplining policy. Rewards, praising good behavior, high-fives and picking a daily star student are all ways in which caregivers can encourage good behavior in children.
Sometimes kids just need support in dealing with their impulses and emotions rather than being “punished”. Kids in a conflict situation should be pulled away for a short time via a “calm down” technique.
A definitive sick-child policy
The daycare center should have a clear policy on sick children which includes a definite plan of how the administration responds to illnesses. How does the facility decide whether a child needs to go home or not? How is the family notified? Will the parents be charged for days that the little one is at home? These are all important questions to ask regarding the facility’s sick policy.
It’s crucial to know beforehand of how sick is too sick for the daycare you’ve opted for. These facilities often draw the line at persistent temperature of at 100°F or higher, but are kids allowed to come if they have a cough and runny nose?
More importantly, it’s important that the caregivers are certified to administer medication in the case of an emergency like an anaphylactic attack.
Strict safety regulations
When visiting a potential day care, look for the facility’s certification and enquire about their evacuation policy in case of emergencies. Get a copy of their regulations and make sure it is in compliance with your state’s child care licensing agency.
The program should have policies in place regarding routine cleaning of all surfaces (including kids toys) as well as regularly washing the children’s hands. Make sure to enquire about bringing labeled food, sippy cups and diapers — a major concern for children with food allergies.
The sleeping area should be clean and free from all potential hazards. A staff member with certified first aid training should be present with the children.Moreover, ensuring the meals prepared are nutritious is just as important to your child’s safety as the obvious short-term concerns.
Enroll your kids now to our child care centre and kindergarten nursery center in Chalfont, PA. We offer a safe and stimulating environment with targeted learning plans to focus on all areas of your child’s development.