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Safe Childcare

A Parent's Guide to Choosing Safe and Healthy Childcare

Choosing a childcare provider can be a daunting task, especially for new parents. Safety should be a No. 1 priority when deciding on the best place to leave your child. Keeping these guidelines in mind can help you find a place where you feel comfortable leaving your child:

• Are children supervised at all times, even when they are sleeping?
• How do the caregivers discipline children?

Hint: Discipline should be positive, clear, consistent and fair.

• Do all caregivers and children wash their hands often, especially before eating and after using the bathroom and changing diapers?
• Is the place where diapers are changed clean?
• Do caregivers always keep a hand on the child while diapering?
• Do caregivers remove the soiled diaper without dirtying any surface not already in contact with stool or urine?
• Do caregivers clean and sanitize the surface after finishing the changing process?

Hint: Hands should be scrubbed with soap and water for at least 10 seconds and then rinsed and dried. The water faucet should be turned off with a paper towel.

• Does the director of a childcare center have a bachelor's degree in a child-related field?
• Has the director worked in childcare for at least two years?
• Does the director understand what children need to grow and learn?

• Does the lead teacher in a childcare center have a bachelor's degree in a child-related field?
• Has the teacher worked in childcare for at least one year?
• Does the teacher give children lessons and toys that are right for their ages?