8 Things to Consider when Choosing Care for Your Child

Every day, families search for child care. They look for a place that feels safe and supportive, where their child will be nurtured and protected. But it isn't always easy. 

How do you do know what type of care environment will be right for your child? What are you supposed to look for? Is it about the centre that has the highest quality rating, or a service that feeds into a local school? Will it be long day care, or preschool or family day care? Is it the one that someone recommended? Is it the new, shiny place that's just opened up or the service thats been around for forty years?

The questions can be overwhelming, so we've put together a list of things to consider when choosing care for your child. 

1. Service Type: First of all, you need to determine what is the best service type to meet your child's and your families needs. Do you need early morning drop offs? Long Day Care might be best for you. Do you want your child in a small social group? Family Day Care could be a great option. Are you wanting to support your child's transition to school next year? Perhaps preschool (known in some states as Kinder) might work. 
2. Word of Mouth: There's nothing quite like personal recommendation. Ask friends, families, neighbours and people in your community about care they have utilised. Be mindful that we all have different expectations and experiences, so what works for one family, may not be suitable for another, but getting some personal recommendations and insights can be a great starting point
3. Do your research: jump online and look at websites, social media and reviews of the services you are considering. This can give you an insight into what they offer and how they would suit your family.
4. Consider the rating: Each approved service operating under the National Quality Framework is rated in accordance with the National Quality Standards. Families can visit the Starting Blocks website to find out more about each service, and their rating. It is worth mentioning though, that the rating isn't failsafe. It isn't always reflective of the current, everyday experience in a service. We visit services that are rated "working towards", that provide beautiful, loving, connected care and education to children and families. We visit others that have been rated "meeting" or "exceeding" and have concerns. There can be quite a long time between ratings, so look at when the service rating was awarded, and use it as a guide, not a given. 
5. Contact the service: Your first phone call or interaction with a service will give you a great indication of whether it is the place for your family. If you feel like you are "bothering them" or like your call is an inconvenience, that's not a great start. On the other hand, if you end the call feeling reassured and positive about your child starting care, you may have found the right place. 
6. Visit the service: Arranging a suitable time to visit a service is important. Sure, you could just turn up on the doorstep, but it doesn't mean that someone will be available to give you a tour or answer any questions (particularly in Family Day Care where there is only one educator) 
7. Get a "feeling" about the place: it's a hard thing to put your finger on, but you can usually get a feeling about a service when you first walk in. I notice this as a consultant, and when I was a service director, I used to invite families to visit and see if we felt like the right fit. Does the place feel like somewhere you can imagine your child playing? Do you feel welcome? Do the children seem happy and engaged in play? Do the educators seem happy? Do the educators greet you or engage in conversation? Does the environment feel safe? Does it feel like there are enough educators?
8. Read the service philosophy: each service is required to have a statement of philosophy. This document should underpin the programs and practices in the service, and give you an understanding of what is important in the service. When I was a service director our philosophy made it clear that outdoor play in nature and risk taking, were key features of our program. If a family didn't want their child to get dirty or engage in any form of risky play - we probably weren't the right place to come. 

When it all comes down to it, finding the right fit can be a challenge. Not every service is suitable for every child or every family. Some children thrive in an environment with a very small group (such as family day care), while others long for a space with lots of children. It's easy too, as a parent, to be drawn in by a shiny new service with promises of extra curricular activities and bonuses, but it is important to see what really lies beneath. Children belong in spaces where they are valued and respected, where their play is proteccted, where they are safe, where they are cared for by qualified, experienced and passionate educators. This might be the brand new service around the corner, it may be the preschool that's been running for fifty years, it may be the family day care educator who opens their home to families each day. 

Wherever it is that your child spends their days, you want it to be a place that you feel good about. A place that you trust, a place that you feel a sense of belonging and community. Find that place, and suddenly the drop offs don't feel so hard. Find that place, and you will see them grow and develop in beautiful ways.