More than 12 million preschoolers are in some sort of child care arrangement, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. If your child is one of the millions included in that stat, understanding how to find the best care possible is essential. But, you knew that already, right? Even though you know you want the best for your little learner, you might need some help figuring out which center is "right" for your child. Part of finding the best daycare is understanding the benefits of choosing a licensed child care facility. What can you, and your child, gain by picking a licensed center?
A highly qualified staff. State licensing bodies set staff requirements for daycares and preschools. These include how much education different staff members (such as the director, assistant director, teachers and teachers' assistants) need and what their experiential requirements are. For example, in Washington state the director of a center that serves 25 or more children must have a child development associate (CDA) certificate or at least 45 college quarter credits in early childhood education.
Up-to-date knowledge. Licensed facilities typically have to meet state training, or professional development, requirements. This means that all staff members need to meet specific numbers of training hours per year. Why is this so important for your child? The professional development trainings provide the staff with current knowledge of best practices in instruction, valuable child development knowledge and continuing education in early learning topics.
A safe environment. From where medications are stored to conducting fire drills, state licensing agencies routinely check licensed centers to make sure that the physical environment is safe and secure for your child. If the center fails on any requirements they must fix the situation to maintain their license status.
Play materials and equipment that help development. While a child care license doesn't mean that a center must pick specific play equipment, it does guide the facility's choices and set minimum standards for materials. In Washington state licensed centers must provide play equipment that meets the ages of the groups in care, allows for creative expression, encourages both small and large motor activities and are culturally sensitive.
Activities to grow on. There isn't just 'one' preschool curriculum that early learning centers use. That said, licensed schools must meet specific goals when it comes to what they teach and how they teach it. This includes designing activities and experiences that foster self-expression, encourage development across all the domains (social, emotional, cognitive and physical) and allow children to explore/make discoveries.
Finding the best possible care for your child is at the top of your list. With what seems like a bountiful buffet of choices out there, picking the perfect match is made easier by starting with a licensed center. Whether it's the high-quality staff, the well-trained teachers, the healthy setting or the actual program, licensed daycares such as Kid's Country Child Care & Learning Center must meet standards that benefit your child in many different ways!
Share18 May 2016
Welcome to my blog. My name is Eddie, and I love to talk about technology, but I also love old fashioned fun. That includes anything, from playing hopscotch, to telling stories, to knitting, to gardening. I have three grand kids, and I see them immersed in an exciting world where they can explore those old fashioned things but also immerse themselves in technology. It truly doesn't have to be one or the other. I am very interested in child care centers that have found interesting ways to blend both of these categories. I wanted to foray a bit more into the tech world myself so decided to create this blog. I hope you like its ideas and facts.