Why choose quality?
- So that children have a safe and happy environment to spend their time away from home.
- So that a child’s brain has a chance to develop to its full potential in a safe, nurturing and stimulating environment.
- So that parents feel less stress and more confidence about their child’s safety and well-being while they are away, making them more productive at work.
Does quality child care really matter?
What is quality child care?
Basic items of quality include the following, which are regulated by the Bureau of Child Care Licensing:
Ratio: The number of children per adult in a home or classroom.
Group Size:The total number of children in a group setting (i.e. a classroom or home).
Health:Policies and practices around illness, immunization, nutrition, cleanliness, and preventing the spread of germs.
Safety:Practices to make sure the environment is safe, both indoors and outdoors. This includes furniture or structures in the environment, it’s placement, as well as equipment and toys. Also includes practices around First Aid and Infant and Child CPR training for staff, fire precautions, criminal background checks, releasing children, etc.
Training, education and experience of the provider:Sees that providers have education and training in child development and other related topics. Providers have experience caring for children in a group setting.
Additional quality indicators may include:
Consistent care:The provider or teacher is committed to being there daily to care for children. Sufficient pay and benefits for the teachers or provider help to reduce staff turnover.
Accreditation: Accredited programs have met higher standards of quality that are set forth by the NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children), NAFCC (National Association for Family Child Care), or NAA (National Afterschool Association).
Accredited Program Search:
NAEYC
NAA
NAFCC
Opportunities for Learning and Development:
High quality programs or providers include learning opportunities across all the areas of growth and development.
Physical: Using small and large muscles in play.
Social:Positive relationships and the chance to solve problems with other children and adults; opportunities for learning self-help and self-regulation skills.
Emotional: Nurturing relationships, learning about their own feelings and the feelings of others, and developing self-control.
Cognitive:Learning about the world around them: language, math, science, the arts, cooking, woodworking, computers, etc.
Creative: Self-expression through art, language, drama, etc.
Physical Environment:
A physical environment that promotes learning includes:
- Enough space, airflow and lighting for the children to play and learn comfortably.
- Uncluttered spaces that are arranged in a manner that is pleasing to the eye.
- An environment that is child-friendly with choices for children’s learning and play.
- Indoor and outdoor play on a daily basis (as much as weather allows).
- Hard and soft surfaces; places for quiet or noisy play; places to be with the group or to be alone.
Philosophy of Education:
A philosophy of education that promotes learning includes:
- Play as an important part of the child’s learning.
- The use of positive guidance or discipline (Spanking, shaming, yelling at children, withholding food and other forms of harsh treatment are NEVER OK!)
- The needs of each child as an individual are taken into account.
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