One of the most important and stressful decisions a parent can make is choosing childcare for their child. To begin your search, you should decide what type of care is the ideal fit for your child, as well as you as a parent. Here are some great tips from CanadianNanny.ca
Types of care
Nanny / Au Pair – A nanny / au pair is an individual who can live-in or live-out of your home while providing daily care, usually on a full-time basis. Hiring a nanny / au pair is a popular choice for parents that have young children, or several children needing care. Parents will often choose this option when they have odd or very long work hours. Having a nanny / au pair allows your child to spend their day in an environment with less routine and more flexibility.
Family Care / Home Child Care – An individual runs a small childcare setting from their home, providing care for a handful of children at a time. Often this will be run by a Mom who wants to stay home with her own children, but supplements her income by providing care for other children. In most provinces, the maximum number of children is five (5) per home. Most home childcare centres run Monday to Friday, between 7:00am and 6:00pm. It is always recommended that the home care provider has a full inspection done on their home, certifying it for fire and public health.
Licensed Child Care Centre – This type of care is usually found in a church, commercial building, or a workplace. There are many different types of centre-based care; nursery school, co-op, daycare centres. In most situations, the caregivers have received some type of training in early childhood development. Children are usually grouped by age. A daily routine is followed with regular planning of activities. Parents often will choose this type of care because they want structure for their children and they want to ensure that activities and socialization are geared to their child’s age level.
Things parents should consider when choosing child care.
Is this care suitable for my child and our family? It is possible that the on-site daycare at work is completely convenient, but the loudness and business of the centre is not the right fit for your child. Always consider if this situation is going to work day-to-day as well as long term.
What is the cost? There are so many factors that affect the cost of childcare; location, hours, type of care, experience. Explore the cost of all types of childcare available, and determine which type of care is the most realistic for your family. There are tax deductions and subsidies that can be explored for childcare related costs.
Will this type of care allow my child to grow? Is it a safe environment that will enhance development and challenge his/her development? Will he/she be happy there?
How do I know that I have made the right choice?
Ask yourself these questions:
• Does this person have the qualifications, skills and personality I feel my child needs?
• How many children are being cared for by the nanny, teacher, or home caregiver?
• Will my child be safe? Is this environment safe? Is the home / centre clean?
• What will my child do on a regular basis? Do the parents have a say in what is done during the day?
Visit the daycare or family daycare home and discuss your expectations with potential childcare providers and always check references before deciding which service to use. When looking for good quality childcare services for your child, you should identify your needs, your priorities, and the needs of your child. Good quality childcare providers offer a safe, healthy environment and support the physical, emotional, social, and intellectual development of children.
