What to look for?

[~ Zarava Flutterby ~]

I am thinking about putting DD1 into CC 1 day a week, i need some time to get things done around the house without her following me around and it would be nice to have some quality time with DD2.
Once DD2 is older and not fully BFing i think i will put them in together so i can havea day to do housework and maybe spend 5min alone with a cuppa and a book wishful thinking.

So there are a couple in the town closest to where we have just moved to, am going to organise to go in and have a look around but what things should i look for?

Am going to take DD1 with me and let her have a play, see if she seems comfortable, she is an easy going child so i don't doubt she wont care much but i would prefer to pay a little bit extra and know she is happy than just go for the cheapest place around.

Some saynappies etc are included, is this normal?

[skybie]

Most centers supply all nappies, food, sun hats and sunscreen.

my tips would be to look for-
a cente that lets u stay as long as U need to each time u drop her off, and even pop ins during the day, u may not actually want to but atleast u know if theyre happy foru to drop in at any time then they have nothing to hide!

happy children i think is the most important, obviously they arent all going to be constantly happy butif theres a general feeling of happyness then that a great thing.

check their modules, see if the skills and developments each month are what you are happy with, scope the toys to ensure you're happy with the amount of educational/fun time toys.

Check their menu's to make sure you're happy with nutrition level they'll be feeding her.

ummmm there'll be more im sure but thats all i can think of at this hour!
you'll know once you've spent half an hour or so there if you feel comfortable with a centre. good luck hun, its a big step

[~Kaz~]

I wouldn't make an appointment if I were you. Just rock up at a time that suits you. A good centre will be open and welcoming and not freaked out by you turning up with your daughter to look. They should encourage you to come by any time and observe, get involved or just ask as many questions as you like. If you rock up and they are not impressed and try to get you to make a time, I would walk out and not bother going back. It would indicate to me that they were going to warn staff ahead of time of a parent visit so everyone could be on their 'best' behaviour.

Other stuff? Personally I'd look to see how the staff interact with your DD. Do they use her name, get down on her level, include her in what's happening in the room and so on?
What is the child:staff ratio? What are the qualifications of the staff in your DD's room? What is their philosophy of childcare/early childhood education - do they have a structured day or follow your DD's routine? How do the other children look? How do they interact with the carers? Going at drop-off and pick-up times will give you heaps of information about the type of conversations the staff have with regular parents - although it's a busy time, perhaps do this on your second visit and stay out of the way but eavesdrop iykwim?
Nappies aren't included at DS's centre but everything else is. The biggest thing is how comfortable you feel in the centre - what the atmosphere is like, and, of course, how your DD feels about the centre. Good luck!

ETA: my centre doesn't supply sun hats either but it's a small thing given how happy DS is there and high the quality of care he receives. I think the 'inclusions' depend on whether the centre is not-for-profit, or for-profit. If it's a for-profit centre, you're paying for all of it anyway in the daily fees.

[~ Zarava Flutterby ~]

Thanks girls, i think it will be good for DD1, she has her MG friends on a Tuesday and interacts generally well with other kids but i want her to get a little more 'play' time with children her age.

I guess i will be looking out for the educational side of things, she is quite a smart little cookie and has started counting etc so i want to know that they will be able to help her and encourage her rather than just make her act her age (sounds silly reading it back).

I will have to check the menu, sometimes she can be fussy with food but she eats a LOT of fruit as snacks etc, do they let you take in snacks for the kids or do they supply all that, she eats non-stop during the day and normally has an apple, an orange, a pear and say grapes or watermelon if we have it. (tiny girl with a big appetite)

It is kinda weird going to look at these places but i guess she's nearly 2 and the next step might even be 3yr old kinder

[Nai]

In relation to being fussy with food etc you will probably find that she will eat whatever is served and often 2 lots of it and she will never touch the same thing at home! The power of the peer group So as long as you think it is nutritionally sound then I wouldn't worry too much about that.

Look at if they offer a kinder program and their development programs. Also look at how they communicate with parents about what heir child is doing and their child's development. Look at how the centre is managed eg. can you be involved at all? My DD's go to a community run centre so I have been on the board for 3 years.

In addition to what the others have said look at their policies in dealing with difficult/problem behaviours, discipline and affection towards the children - some centres are strict on not cuddling the kids etc while others are very pro-cuddling.