It is a hard choice to place your young child into a child care center or family care home, but sometimes a necessary one.  If this topic interests you, you may also wish to attend a free workshop at the library, Choosing Quality Child Care.  It will be held on Sunday, February 21 from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Main library, in the Bostick Auditorium.  This panel discussion will include people from South Carolina DSS, Richland County First Steps and the ABC Child Care Program. 

Make the very best choice in child care and it will greatly benefit you and your child. Place your child's name down at a center as early as possible--before they are born--and regularly check with the center to see if a vacancy has occurred. Good centers usually have long waiting lists, but these lists are often outdated, with duplicates and often include people who have made other choices.

Visit prospective child care services more than once and see first- hand how staff interacts with children and how the center or family daycare is run. Do the children seem happy and engaged in activities or do they look bored? Does the center or home look like a happy place to be? Are you and your child welcome at any time?

Be cautious of any center that requires you to call before you come to see your child. Also, ask to see their license and if they are approved by more than just the legally required licensure by the Department of Social Services. More approvals usually mean more guidelines to adhere to and more funding.

There should be clear, written policies that include discipline, pick-up procedures and administering medication. Ask about staff turnover and check the child-to-staff ratio for your child's age group. Are staff engaged with the children or sitting around talking to each other? Do they appear to know the children well? Do your observations match up with written policy and the regulations?

If the center provides food, ask to see the menu (which should be posted), and are they nutritious? Are meal and snack times enjoyable? Please share any other ideas that you might have. 

Don't forget to join us from 3 to 5 p.m. on February 21 at the Main Library for our free workshop on Choosing Quality Child Care.