Are you looking for quality child care like so many others? Are you a new parent finding childcare for the the first time? Have you had challenges with your searches in the past? Or are you considering offering care to others, so that you can stay at home and provide your own early childhood learning for your child(ren)?
I am a mom of two and an early childhood educator. I’ve been through the search for quality care both as a parent and as a child care provider. I’ve also been through the process of setting up my own family child care services.
Getting started
When I first needed care I had a bit of an inside scoop. I was trained to provide quality early learning and care. How hard could it be to find the right caregiver for my family? It turned out to be much more challenging than I’d imagined.
I started my search with family dayhomes. We’d decided that we wanted a small home-like setting where our children could remain together all day. It turned out that our area did not have a large number of providers who treated home based care in a professional manner. The supply of quality care was very limited.
Dealing with crises
Some time after our children had been in a fantastic centre that we loved, our circumstances changed. We found ourselves in a pinch looking for flexible care, and unable to make things work for our family. We explored many different options, only to have each one fall through.
We tried a dayhome provider who turned out to be less than ideal. As I will advise every parent I know, when your gut says it’s not right, follow your instincts. We terminated our contract with this provider before any harm was done. Others who chose to remain weren’t so fortunate.
We hired a few different in-home (but not live-in) caregivers, only to have one move away, one become-ill and another return to school full-time. Finally we settled on a cooperative arrangement with friends. This turned out to be the best option for everyone. Our children were happy, and I could be confident they were in good hands.
Options for care
Sometimes the right solution is a creative one that wouldn’t ordinarily have been the first choice.
Just how do you determine:
Child care costs and what fits within your budget?
What qualities of care are most important to you?
How do you evaluate all of the possibilities to determine the right fit for your family?
How do you assess if the caregiver has what you are looking for?
How do you monitor your child care arrangement once it has begun?
| The child care search The child care search in the fall, and how to take the scramble out of the search for quality care. |
| Your child care choices and finding the right one A discussion of your child care choices and how to find the right program or caregiver for you. |
| Child Care Costs Helping parents determine true child care costs, including tax benefits and deductions, and other costs associated with specific types of care (i.e. in-home/nanny care). |
| Child Care Laws Where to find relevant child care laws and regulations |
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About Trish
