Download our brochure "Your Guide to Choosing Child Care"

Listed below are a few steps you may consider while you search for quality child care.

1. Allow time to find a quality program
   Talking to many providers and visiting several programs will help you feel confident when you make this big decision. If at all possible, begin several weeks ahead of time. It make take some time to find a program and provider you are satisfied with. Many providers often have waiting lists, especially for infants. Knowing that your child is well cared for will be worth the effort and time you put into finding the right program for your child.
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2. Consider your child care needs
   What days and times do you need care? Where will you be needing care? How much can you afford to pay? These are good questions to answer at the beginning of your child care search. Be sure to write down any other considerations your child may have, any special need or transportation to school
   If cost is a problem, the State of Utah has child care subsidies that you may be eligible for.
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3. Call the child care providers
   Begin each phone call by asking if it's a good time to talk. (If not, find out when is a better time to call back.) Then you may want to discuss the following information along with anything else that is important to you:
        ● Available openings                   ● Fees the provider charges
        ● Scheduling needs                    ● Typical day routines
        ● Location of child care               ● Unexpected parent visits policy
        ● Allergies your child may have: smoke, pets, food, etc.
   
   If you like what you hear on the phone, arrange a time to visit the child care site. Never rely on another person's opinion of a program without checking it out for yourself.
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4. Visit the child care providers
   Arrange a time to visit the providers when other children are present so that you can observe the interaction. You may consider bringing your own child along with the understanding that it is only a visit and no decision will be made at this point. Some things you may look for during a visit are:
        ● Over-all positive feeling              ● Positive guidance being used
        ● Happy background noise           ● Provider communicates well
        ● Provider focuses on children      ● Environment is safe with space for activities
        ● Provider is caring & energetic    ● Provider is prepared for emergencies
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5. Follow-up with questions
   If you do not see enough during your visits ask the provider "what if" questions for various scenarios. Schedule a time to talk if necessary. You may wish to ask:
        ● What outings will the group take?
        ● What training or classes has the provider taken?
        ● Dows the provider take pre-arranged vacations?
        ● Can parents bring mildly-ill children?
        ● What is the policy when the child gets sick during the day?
        ● What emergencies have happened and how were they handled?
        ● Does the provider have a regular substitute caregiver?
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6. Ask for references
   When you find a provider that you like, ask for names and phone numbers of parents that you can call as references. Ask the parents about their children's experiences. If they had to choose another time, would they choose that provider again?
   
   Also, after you have narrowed down your list of potential providers, contact the local licensing agency to check for any complaints that have been made against them. Weber, Davis & Morgan County families can contact licensing at 801-525-1400. The licensing department can also let you know the provider's compliance history as well.
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7. Make a decision
   Weigh all of the information, trust your feelings, sort out what you feel strongly and make a final decision. Where would your child be happiest? In which place were you most comfortable?
   

If you are not satisfied after checking out all of your possibilities you may wish to contact the referral specialist again for names of more providers
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Other resources

The Child Care Aware website also has information to help you conduct your child care search. Child Care 101

Another guide has been published by NACCRRA (National Assn of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies). This guide has 38 questions to ask and also explains the reason why they are important. Is This the Right Place for My Child?: 38 Research-Based Indicators of High-Quality Child Care
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