What to consider when choosing a childcare center

• Consider the location of the childcare center. Will it be more convenient nearer home or your place of work? 

• Consider the time it takes you to get there and how you would get there. 

• Talk to other parents using facilities locally to you and find out their experiences. 

• Read government reports to see if the standards meet your requirements or check out parenting communities to see what local parents think. 

• Make a shortlist of places and try to view as many of them as possible.  

• Consider taking your child on these visits too if you can. 

• Observe your child’s reactions to the staff, setting, and other children. 

• Consider if the other children seem settled and happy. 

• Consider if the staff are attentive to the children and to each other. 

• Ask what activities your child might be involved in during the day. 

• Ask if the childcare center keeps records of the children’s progression. Could they show you an example? 

• Ask what provisions are made for naps or quiet time. 

• Ask about meals and nutrition and how they deal with picky eaters or specific dietary requirements. 

• Ask about toileting and potty-training policies. 

• Ask about the daily essential packing list – what is needed in the child’s bag? 

• Ask how the childcare center facilitate to feed pre-packed breastmilk. 

• Ask how staff handle the preparation of milk feed if bottle-feeding is required. 

• Ask about settling-in periods. 

• Consider that you and your child might need time to adjust to childcare arrangements. 

• Ask about staff ratios. Are they in line with government guidelines? What happens when people are off sick or on leave? 

• Ask what safeguards are in place for other people picking up your child. 

• Ask about the childcare costs and what you may be entitled to under government subsidy schemes.  

• Find out what the childcare center’s daily hours are and if these apply all-year round or just to term times. 

• Check the availability of places. Some childcare center places need to be booked up to a year ahead. 

• If you’re returning to work, read our tips for going back to work after a baby.

Sources:

https://www.childcare.co.uk/information/nursery-is-your-child-ready