Making an Informed Decision about Child Care
1. Start Early.
Locating the right child care provider may take some time.
2. Make a Call.
Contact Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) to obtain a customized referral listing of child care programs for your family and informatino on how to choose quality child care. 877-216-8481 or click here to go to the online referral system
3. Visit numerous programs to observe and ask questions.
How many children are there for each adult?
How many children are in the group?
What training and education has the caregiver completed?
How long has the provider been working in this program?
Does the provider have a Quality Rating System rating? Find out more about Iowa's Quality Rating System click here
4. Make a choice.
Think about what you saw at each visit and make the best choice for your child and family.
To ease the trasition to childcare:
Visit the childcare program with the child to observe and participate
Leave the child at the child care program for short periods of time.
Involve the child care provider in your decisions about this "easing in" period.
5. Stay Involved.
Meet regularly with the provider and ask questions. Visit regularly and participate in activities with your child.
More helpful tips can be found in our Choosing Quality Child Care Booklet or by calling one of our Parent Services Specialists in your area.