Child Care in Georgia: Questions you need to ask

Is your maternity leave coming to an end and you are dreading the separation from your child while you go back to work? Separation from children is particularly difficult for parents especially after a long period of staying home together and give birth to many worries about child care in your mind.

Every place has its own daycare facilities e.g. if you live in Sugar Hill, Georgia you can start you search by looking for daycares near Sugar Hill GA. Additionally, you can also ask for any references that your pediatrician might be able to give you about day care centers around you area. Friends and family can also serve as a good reference point to start.

Once you have an idea of which daycares you need to visit here is a list of questions that you can ask in order to find out more information about the day care you are interested in.

• Ask about the rates and schedules: This is perhaps the first and foremost thing you need to ask the child care you might be interested in. If the rates or fee are above your budget then you can eliminate this facility from your list
• Are there any waiting lists? Some daycares, especially the higher end ones can have long waiting lists so it is better to start looking beforehand, i.e. before you actually have to send your child.
• Ask to see certifications: Although having the required certifications will not guarantee that your child will be in the best possible care, but it does show that the day care is good and professional enough to attain government certifications. Government certifications such as National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) ensures that the day care facility has high health and safety standards.
• The number of children per care giver? Children and toddlers generally need a lot of attention, so it is prudent that you ask beforehand about the limit they have for the number of children per care giver, just so you know your child will be well looked after in your absence.
• Any additional qualifications: Qualifications such as first aid and CPR are crucial part of any child care facility. If you are opting for a group center then make sure that the director of the facility has a degree in early childhood education.
• The degree of involvement required by the parents: Mostly at group child care centers, parent committees are formed which are required to make decisions for the children. Ask the child care facility that you are interested in about the degree of parent involvement required and if it will fit your work schedule.
• The rules regarding child immunizations: Some daycares especially the non-licensed ones have lax rules and policies regarding vaccinations, it is prudent to stay away from these kinds of places, as they tend to go lax on other rules as well.

In addition to the above questions, there are some other things that you need to consider and factor in before you make your final decision. Visit the daycare at any time of the day and see if the children are happy and well looked after. Caregivers should be positive and energetic and have a happy aura which is crucial in dealing with young children. Look for healthy verbal and physical communication between the children and the care givers. Are the toys that the children playing with age appropriate and are there any risks such as choking hazards? Or any heavy inappropriate shelves or doors present that the children might injure themselves with.

Finally, is the daycare facility clean? Are the caregivers taking special care to stay up to mark with cleanliness and sanitation procedures? This is especially important amidst this Covid-19 pandemic that we are living in.

Although these above questions are crucial to ask once you an idea of available services regarding child care in Sugar Hill GA. but there are many other considerations that you must keep in mind as well, such as the day care facility distance from your work place, the locality the day care is situated etc. And lastly, a parent’s gut feeling about the place also plays a pivotal role.