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Check Lists For In Home Providers
When
looking for quality Child Care, Family Child
Care Homes can be a great choice! This type of
care is usually provided in a private home, and
in most cases by a parent who has one or two
children of their own that they are caring for.
A Family
Child Care Home usually allows a more informal
and often much more personal relationship
between the care provider and the parent.
However, it's important to remember, that Family
Child Care Home Providers are much more than
babysitters! They go to great lengths to
qualify for and maintain their provider
licenses. Their homes should provide a safe,
warm, loving environment with many stimulation
and learning activities.
Licensing
requirements for Family Child Care Homes vary
from state to state, and we urge you to check
with your local licensing agency about
requirements for Family Child Care Homes in your
area.
When
choosing a Family Child Care Home, it's
important that you share many of the same ideas
and values about raising children as you do.
After all, your child will spend many of their
waking hours with this person. Plan a visit to
the Home while other children are present and
take the time to interview the provider before
making your final decision.
Some
Family Child Care Homes will be very homey and
relaxed, where other providers go to great
effort to provide a professional center-like
atmosphere by converting part of the house or a
garage into an area used only for the purpose of
Child Care.
To find a
Family Child Care Home in your area, please
check our listings first! You'll want to spend
a lot of time at your interview with the
providers you choose, and that's why we have
provided as much information on each provider as
we can. You'll be able to see which providers
meet your initial criteria before making the
phone call. If you cannot find one on our
list, then check with the Child Care Resource &
Referral Office in your State. We have their
phone numbers and Addresses listed on each of
our State Pages.
Feel Free
To Print This Check List To Use When Checking
Child Care Facilities!
PRACTICAL
CONSIDERATIONS:
-
Name/and Address/Phone Number of Home
-
Hours
That Care Is Provided
-
Fees
Charged
-
Curriculum or Registration Fees
-
Ages
of Children Licensed For
-
Care
of Sick Children?
-
Location Easy To Reach
-
Meals
Provided
CHECK LIST
For the following items, use a rating of:
-
0 = Can't Tell
-
1 = No, not in the Home
-
2 = Somewhat
-
3 = Yes, in the Home
Physical
Facility/Health, Safety
-
The Home is Reasonably Clean & Orderly
-
No Children are Seen with Soiled Diapers
or Training Pants
-
Detergents, Cleaners and Medicines are in
a locked Cabinet
-
Electrical Outlets are covered with
Safety Caps
-
Household items like knives, scissors,
curling irons are stored out of reach of
children.
-
Toys and equipment are in good repair
with no sharp edges, splinters or loose
parts
-
There is a quiet area that can be
darkened for naps with clean bedding for
each child.
-
The toileting area is easy for the
children to get to with potty chairs, safe
steps, or whatever is needed.
-
There is an area of the home where
children can ply out of the way of other
family members.
-
There is a fenced, outdoor play area in
which the caregiver can see all areas of the
yard easily.
-
The home is warm, cheerful & inviting.
Caregiver Competencies
-
The caregiver spends time with the
children rather than ignoring them to carry
out household duties or talk on the
telephone.
-
The caregiver provides individual
attention when needed. For example, an upset
child is held, talked to etc.
-
You can see the caregiver praising the
children: For example, saying "You did a
good job hanging up your coat!"
-
You can see the caregiver communicating
effectively with the children, explaining in
clear steps what she/he wants the children
to do, answering children's questions
patiently, frequently bending or kneeling
down to the child's level when talking.
-
The children appear happy, comfortable,
and relaxed - laughing, smiling, involved in
play.
-
The children enjoy one another - smile at
each other, hold hands, hug, help each other
more than they fight or argue.
-
The caregiver uses the children's first
names or nicknames when talking to or about
hem. She/he does not refer to the children
by unpleasant names, such as "smarty" or
"brat" etc.
-
The caregiver seems warm and affectionate
with the children, smiling, cuddling,
speaking pleasantly.
-
The caregiver encourages children to do
some things for themselves, patiently giving
time, help and praise so that the child can
learn to master the skill, such as getting a
drink, washing hands, putting away a toy.
-
The caregiver holds infants when feeding
them rather than propping up their bottles.
-
The caregiver talks to infants cuddles
and plays with them during the day. Infants
are not left alone for long periods.
-
The caregiver is a person you would like
to your child to copy or imitate. In other
words, children are apt to "do as the
caregiver does, more than what she/he says."
Program Materials
-
Attractive and well-written story and
picture books are available for the
children.
-
The caregiver encourages listening and
talking through planned activities like
storytelling, word games, doll playing.
-
The home has materials for quiet play,
such as puzzles, and active play, such as
riding toys.
-
Children can get at least some materials
for themselves, and they are encouraged to
take care of the materials and put them away
when finished.
-
There are enough toys and materials so
that each child can play without having to
wait more than a few minutes.
-
The caregiver encourages both boys and
girls to play with all the materials - such
as riding toys, dress-up clothes, dolls,
cars and trucks. Caregivers do not give
children the idea that a certain activity is
only for boys or only for girls.
-
Children sometimes can use creative
materials, such as crayons, big blank pieces
of paper rather than coloring books,
paste, clay or playdough, scissors, pencils
etc.
-
Three or more of the following toys are
available for the children's use: large and
small riding toys, pull toys, pounding toys,
beads for stringing, puzzles, small and
large blocks, nested toys, small building
toys like tinkertoys.
-
children may watch only appropriate
television programs and are not forced or
encouraged to sit in front of the TV for
long periods.
-
The caregiver plans at least one activity
for the children each day that your child
would enjoy.
Home-Childcare Coordination
-
The caregiver can tell you what meals and
snacks will be served to the children this
week.
-
The menus sound nutritious and contain
foods your child likes.
-
If you have an infant, the caregiver
refrigerates infant bottles and foods and
will feed according to your directions.
-
If possible, ask what the caregiver does
if a child does not like a certain food
being served to see if you agree with
his/her method.
-
The caregiver uses discipline and
guidance methods similar to your own and is
consistent and fair with the children
-
The caregiver answers questions in a
friendly, open way.
-
You feel comfortable and could expect to
share concerns about your child with the
caregivers.
Total Score: __________
Things To Think About:
-
Overall, how do you feel about this
program?
-
Overall, how would your child feel about
this place?
The total score reflects both how good or poor
the program is and how much you were able to
observe. In general, go by the following:
-
100-123 points = EXCELLENT PROGRAM, worth
getting on a waiting list to enroll your
child!
-
80-100 points = GOOD PROGRAM, worth
serious consideration
-
60-80 points = POSSIBLY ADEQUATE, think
this over carefully though
-
40-60 points = LOOK ELSEWHERE.
-
0-40 points = DEFINITELY OUT,
probably in violation of licensing
requirements.
If you have a lot of items on the check list
with 0 points because you were not able to tell,
then this will lower the overall score a lot.
In this case, look at how you scored the rest of
the items.
If most of your other scores are "3's" then this
could be a very good program despite the fact
that the total score is lower than it should be.
Above all, trust your own judgment and feeling
about a program. You know your child best and
can tell which program will be right for your
family! |
