If a program experiences a large amount of turnover, your child could experience many transitions to new teachers. Learn more about the 12 health and safety trainings that all adults caring for children should have.įind out whether your child’s teacher has an early childhood credential or degree and how long he or she has been working in the early childhood field.Īsk about the program’s staff turnover rate (how frequently staff leave). Make sure that every teacher has had training on important health and safety topics such as first aid and CPR, safe sleep, giving children medication, and child development. Check them before you select a program and regularly while your child is enrolled.Ĭonfirm that every adult working or volunteering in the program has had a comprehensive background check.Īsk how many adults and children are in each classroom and about the teachers’ education and training. These reports provide valuable information about the quality of child care programs. Use See Your State's Resources feature on this website to see inspection reports of child care providers you are considering. Many states post inspection reports online.
When visiting a child care center, ask to see a copy of the program’s license, registration or certification, and inspection history. Just click this link, See Your State's Resources, select your state under “Get Child Care Resources.” You will then see a variety of links to state specific information including “Inspection Reports” and “Child Care Regulations” information for your state. You can search for detailed information about providers in your state and find more information about your state’s child care requirements by using the search feature of this website.
States have a child care search which can help you determine if the providers you are considering are licensed. Part-time programs, including some nursery schools, preschools and prekindergarten programs School-age before-and afterschool programsįaith-based programs, including Parent’s Day Out programs Some examples of center-based programs that may not be required to be licensed include the following:Įarly childhood programs operated by schools
Licensed centers are required to follow a set of basic health and safety requirements, and they are monitored to make sure they are following the requirements.
The question of whether a child care center is required to be licensed or is license exempt depends on the requirements in your state. They may be privately operated for profit by chains or individual owners, or operated by nonprofit agencies such as churches, public schools, and government agencies.Īll states have regulations for licensed centers, but not all child care centers are licensed. They are usually divided into groups or classrooms of similarly aged children.Ĭhild care centers typically have many staff members who are overseen by a director. Centers are larger and care for more children than family child care providers. Child care centers are usually located in commercial buildings.