If your son or daughter is coming to the age when they are ready to leave the comfort and protection of mum’s constant management, your thoughts will be turning to looking for a local day care centre, and there is much more to such a facility than making sure the toddler is safe.
In this short article, we highlight some important things to consider when looking for the ideal child care centre.
Table of Contents
Security –
When sending your child to a day care centre, it is important to check that they have adequate security to ensure the safety of all the children. This would involve a manned presence at entrances and exits, as well as CCTV coverage of perimeters. No unauthorised persons would be allowed to collect a child, and this rule is non-negotiable.
Learning philosophy –
The childcare in Merrylands would have a mission and vision statement, which should be posted on their website, and this should be read and understood. A child-centred approach is preferred, as this leads to the best learning outcomes, while fun-based learning should be at the core of their philosophy.
Parental participation –
Every child care centre should encourage parental participation, which is essential for the best outcomes for the children. This might involve a short daily conversation in the afternoon when they come to collect their child, or the use of a small notebook that the teacher puts in the child’s bag when they go home. Click here for a guide to hands-on learning.
Dietary conditions –
Diet is crucial for young kids, and you need to check that the child care centre offers wholesome food, snacks and drinks. If your child has any food allergies, you should inform the staff; otherwise, they do not know, and issues are bound to arise.
Transport options –
Unless you are able to take your child and collect them in the afternoon, you need to enquire about transport; they typically run minivans that will come to your home and bring your child back in the afternoon. Of course, there would be additional costs for this. You might be lucky and find a neighbour who sends their child to the same centre, and they are willing to receive your child if you help with the fuel costs.
Pre-school should be fun –
In order to encourage a lifelong love of learning, a child care centre should adopt a fun-based curriculum, with song, dance and art at the forefront of daily activities. Your child should be coming home happy after their day playing with their friends, and if they are not happy, you need to investigate.
The first thing to do when looking for a suitable child care centre is to search with Google to bring up a list of local venues, then you can browse until you find one that seems to fit the bill, and then you can book a tour of the facility.
