When you have a child, you know that there's a lot resting on your decision for child care. Luckily, there are steps you can take to alleviate some of the stress associated with the decision-making process. One of the steps includes asking friends and family for recommendations. However, there are other steps you should take during the selection process as well. Now that you're attempting to choose an early child education centre, here are four steps you need to take. These steps will help you to choose the right early child education centre that's best for your child.
Understand Your Options
When it comes to choosing the right early child education centre for your child, it's important that you understand the available options. There are four basic types of early child education options, which are family day care, long day care, kindergarten/preschool and outside school hours care. Choosing the right option will ensure that your child receives the care they need.
Check Quality Ratings
If you're in the process of selecting an early child education centre, be sure to check the quality ratings before making your final selection. Most early child education centres will go through a process to determine the quality level for the services they provide. Quality ratings are assigned based on the National Quality Standard. Quality ratings are assigned according to seven specific areas of care. Some of those areas include health and safety, educational programs, physical environment and staffing arrangements. Before you select an early child education centre, be sure they meet the highest quality ratings.
Request a Guided Tour
Once you've narrowed your options down to a select few, you'll want to request a guided tour. This will allow you to get a closer look at how the early child education centre functions and what type of programs are provided. It's also a good idea to bring your child with you to the appointment. This will give you the opportunity to see how your child interacts with the staff. It will also allow you to see how relaxed your child feels in the child care setting.
Ask Plenty of Questions
Now that you're narrowing down your search for the right early child education centre, don't forget to ask plenty of questions. You might think that you've gotten all of the information you need up to this point, but that's not necessarily the case. Asking the right questions will help you to finalise your decision. While you're asking questions, be sure to ask about staff training, staff-to-child ratios, and additional learning opportunities that might be available. You should also ask about any financial assistance that you may be eligible for.
Contact an early child education centre for more information.
