Child Care Resource and Referral Network

What parent's should know about quality child care
When looking for a child care program, several questions come to mind:

• Is the location convenient?
• Is the staff friendly?
• Is the location clean?
• How much is it going to cost?

While these are all important questions, it is sometimes easy to forget to ask one simple question:

Is it a quality child care program?

The following 2008 NACCRRA publication link discusses quality child care.  Read 38 Researched-Based Indicators of High-Quality Child Care.

• Enhanced social skills
• Reduced behavioral problems
• Increased cooperation
• Improved language

High quality child care is an important element in having all children ready for school.
High quality child care positively predicts children’s performance well into school years.

So What Should Parents Look For?

• Child-adult ratio
• Staff qualifications
• Responsiveness 
• Individualization
• Use of language

All of these areas are foundations of quality programs. Ultimately you, the parent, must make the decision about the right place for your child. Don't make hasty quick decisions, this is one of the most important decisions you will ever have to make!

If you have more questions about choosing a quality child care provider or need assistance in finding a provider, please contact our office at (800) 437-8256 or (309) 828-1892.

If you would like to request referrals, please send an email to our Referral Department.