ChoosingProviders

How to Choose a Child Care Provider

Choosing the best child care for your young child or school age child is not easy. It will take time to find a caregiver that best meets your child’s needs. Visit child care providers in your area to observe their programs and ask questions. Compare the choices and select the provider that is best for your family. Click on a step at below for helpful advice!

If you need help in finding child care providers near your home, job, or school, you can contact your local Child Care Resource and Referral Agency. The child care specialists at the agency maintain a computer database that lists center based programs, family child care homes, group child care homes, after school programs and summer care programs. The specialist can tell you what hours the program operates, the fees for care, where scholarships are available, etc. If you aren’t sure which Child Care Resource & Referral Agency serves your county, call 1-888-893-4582 or 912-382-9919.

Step One

Step One - How to Choose a Child Care Provider

Call the caregivers and ask...

Is there an opening for my child?
Where are are you located?
What are the days and hours that you are open to provide child care?
How much does care cost? Do you enroll children who are subsidized by the Department of Family and Children Services?
Is your program licensed or registered?
How many children are in your care? What ages of children do you serve in your program?
Do you provide meals and snacks?
Do you provide transportation?
When can I come to visit?

Step Two - How to Choose a Child Care Provider

Visit the program and...

Look to see if the caregivers are nurturing and responsive to the children. Do the caregivers seem to enjoy talking and playing with the children?
Look to see if there are a variety of toys and learning materials that are interesting and which will contribute to the children’s growth and development.
Look to see if the children are happily involved in the activities and comfortable with their caregiver.
Listen to see if the caregivers seem cheerful and patient. How does the caregiver discipline the children; does she shout or does she take the child out of the group to quietly discuss the infraction?
Ask about the background and experience of the staff. How long have the caregivers worked in the child care program? Do they have degrees or credentials? What training have the caregivers had in the past year?
What is the discipline policy of the program?

Step Three - How to Choose a Child Care Provider

Drop In and Visit. An unscheduled visit will allow you to observe a typical day with the caregiver. Quality child care programs do not all look alike, but they do have these things in common:

The caregivers/teachers should enjoy being with the children. They are responsive and nurturing. They get down on each child’s level to speak to the child. They meet each child’s needs without delay, even when things get busy. The caregivers/teachers understand child development and recognize and respect individual differences in the children’s abilities, interests, and needs. The caregivers/teachers are trained and experienced; they attend professional workshops, classes or seminars regularly.
The child care setting is clean, bright, and pleasant. There are different areas for active play, quiet play, and resting. There is a fenced outdoor area with a variety of safe equipment. There is enough space and there are enough toys and materials for the number of children in the group.
The activities should be interesting and include a balance of play time, story or reading time, activity time, and rest time. Activities should allow time for children to play quietly indoors (individually or in small groups) and to play vigorously outdoors. Toys and materials should be appropriate for the age of the children in care. All areas of the children’s development are stressed equally; the activities promote mental, physical, social, and emotional development.
Communication is important. Parents are welcome to visit the child care program at any time. The caregiver takes time discuss the highlights of the child’s day with parents. Caregivers show respect for families of different cultures and backgrounds. Caregivers meet with one another regularly to plan and evaluate the program.

Step Four - How to Choose a Child Care Provider

Decide which program is best for your child...

Which care should I choose so that my child will be happy and grow?
Which caregiver can meet the unique needs of my child?
Is the child care accessible and affordable for my family?
Are the caregiver’s values similar to my family’s values?
Can I comfortably communicate with the caregivers?

Subsidized Child Care Assistance

The Childcare and Parent Services (CAPS) program is operated by the Department of Family and Children Services and helps very low income families afford quality child care. The program is available in all 159 counties statewide, and is based on the availability of funding. Subsidized care is available for children with ages ranging from birth to 13. This can be extended to age 18 if the child has special needs.

Questions About CAPS

1. What if my child has special needs?

Children with special needs may be eligible to receive CAPS if the family meets CAPS eligibility requirements. CAPS supports the Inclusion Project to help families who have children with special needs to locate child care providers. The project also offers training and technical assistance, adaptive equipment, and other resources to childcare providers who include a child with special needs into the child care setting.

2. Can I receive CAPS if I attend college?

Adults who are exclusively attending college to earn a four year or graduate degree are not eligible for the CAPS program. Adults attending college and working may be eligible for childcare subsidies because work is considered to be the “primary activity.” Time attending college classes is not counted toward the required minimum number of hours.

3. Can I receive CAPS if I attend high school?

Obtaining a high school diploma is an important step in becoming a self-sufficient adult. Teen parents who need child care to attend high school may receive CAPS if the family meets eligibility criteria.

4. Can I receive CAPS if I attend technical school?

Families that meet the eligibility criteria may receive childcare services while attending technical school. However, after 12 months of exclusive attendance in technical school, the adult must become employed and meet the work hour requirements to continue to receive CAPS.

5. What are the CAPS work requirements?

To be eligible for the CAPS program, the parent(s) or responsible person(s) in the family must work, attend a job training program, or attend GED or high school classes. Each adult in the family unit must participate in work activities for an average of 30 hours per week. Adults may combine activities to meet the work hour requirements, for example, the adult may attend technical college and work for a combined average of 30 hours per week. Employment is defined as regular and predictable work performed by the parent or responsible person in exchange for at least federal minimum wages.

6. Do families who receive CAPS pay any fees?

Most parents or guardians pay some of the childcare costs based on the family’s income and the number of children receiving care. The CAPS program pays the remainder of the costs, up to the state’s maximum rate, directly to the provider. If the provider charges more than the state’s maximum rate, the family is responsible for paying the difference between the DFCS rate and the provider’s rate.

7. Are married couples eligible for CAPS?

Yes, so long as the family meets the eligibility requirement.

Work Requirements

To be eligible for the CAPS program, the parent(s) or responsible person(s) in the family must work, attend a job training program, or attend GED or high school classes.

In single parent families, the adult must participate in work activities an average of 30 hours per week.
In two parent families, each adult must participate in work activities an average of 30 hours per week.

Adults who are exclusively attending college to earn a four year degree or graduate degree are not eligible for CAPS. Adults attending college and working may qualify.

Technical school or job training programs are considered work activities because they lead to a specific career or a certificate and are of limited duration (i.e. 12 months).