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How to Find the Right In-Home Daycare for Your Children

Making a living or furthering your studies are activities you can’t escape if you’re a parent. Whatever the reason for leaving your child at home, guardians must ensure they pick nothing short of perfection when selecting in-home daycare services.

This is a collaborative post

Considering they aren’t traditional daycare homes, conducting a thorough background check is mandatory before signing up your child as a member. Want to find out how you can get the best in-home daycare service within your area? Here are a few tips you should use.

Intensive Research into Daycare

Researching should be the first thing you do once you decide to shift to an in-home daycare. Considering you’re leaving your child with someone you may not know, it’s vital to use available resources to find the most reliable in-home childcare services.

The internet is a helpful place to start when searching for this service. Read reviews on every website you visit and engage the support team for any questions. A background check of the person you’re leaving your kids with will ensure you’re not leaving your child in the hands of someone with questionable conduct.

Look Out for Word-of-Mouth Referrals

Referrals are welcomed when it comes to in-home childcare services. Word-of-mouth referrals indicate that the caregiver’s services have been tested and proven reliable and trustworthy. If you have friends or neighbours with children, ask for referrals on in-home daycare they have used.

You’ll likely get the most honest reviews and suggestions when you talk to parents who’ve used these services. Even better, you’ll get additional information on what to do and avoid when scouting for in-home daycare.

A baby looks at a book on someone's lap at daycare

Consider The Child’s Needs

Children are born different, and the stakes go higher for parents with special needs kids. Depending on what your child is dealing with, you may have to consider caregivers with intel on handling special needs children.

For instance, some children are sensitive to too much light, making it necessary for their parents to look for in-house care option ideal for their condition. Others may be suffering from disabilities that may confine them to a wheelchair. In such a case, finding a centre with disability-friendly services becomes mandatory.

Safety Checks

In case of a hazardous accident, you would want to know your child will be safe and will make it out of the situation in one piece. So, before settling for any option, you should find their safety options.

Is the house secure enough to keep intruders away? Does the caregiver have escape options in case of a fire or raid? Are there any security cameras that ascertain they have round-the-clock surveillance? Find out all you need about safety before determining if a home care centre is suitable for the child.

Find Daycare With Close Proximity to Your Home or Work Place

Whether you have a child that can walk or a toddler that’s still struggling to find balance, you need a care centre near your areas of operations. You can either source for one that’s near your home or one that’s close to your job. This allows you to quickly drop off and pick up the child on your way to or from work or home.

If it’s closer to the office or school you’re going to, it becomes better since you’re at a better place to respond to an emergency in case of an accident or health-related incident.

First Aid Policy of the Daycare

What happens if your child falls and hurts themselves or they choke on their food? Is the caregiver in an excellent position to do first aid seamlessly? Does the facility have the necessary items to perform first aid on a child?

Ask about policies they have in place to cater to medical emergencies. Tour the home and see if what they claim is valid before settling your mind on a decision. Parents should only settle for a facility with solid first aid knowledge to ensure their kids are safe in a medical emergency.

Child-friendly Daycare

Children are known to enjoy running around the house and outside. It’s a significant part of their development that shouldn’t be denied. However, some in-home daycare facilities may not be ideal for children because they are child-proofed.

Sharp-cornered tables, unsecured staircases, and loosely open cabinets are some red flags to watch out for. Leaving a child in such conditions means you’re never sure they are safe. Take time to tour each home before you decide on the best option. Considering you’ll be tasked with paying for hospital charges, ensure the house you pick has baby-friendly features.

Remember, toys, gaming tools, and activities for preschoolers are considered child-friendly things to look out for. Your child shouldn’t be subjected to boredom, so it’s crucial to ascertain whether these are available.

Two girls play together at a table at daycare

Adequately Staffed Daycare

How many children come to a particular home for care, and how many adults are on the premises specifically for childcare services? You don’t want to leave your child in the care of a person that will most likely be overwhelmed before midday.

If the facility has other children in it, it is prudent to find out if there are other caregivers to help with the workload.

Age Gap

Most important is the age gap between children. Cases of bullying and harassment in child care centres have been on the rise, especially if there’s a significant age gap between the kids. Settle for a facility that caters to children between a particular age group to facilitate easy playtime.

If this isn’t readily available, you should ask if they have a separate room for younger children to avoid having a war zone. Better yet, it could be great if particular people cared for different age groups for easier familiarity and effortless settling when the child is new.

Wrap Up

Finding the right home daycare for your child isn’t a task you should take lightly since your child’s well-being depends on that choice. Use word-of-mouth referrals and in-depth internet and in-person research to determine the best place to leave your little one when you’re away.

How did I do?

Did you enjoy this post? Why not hang around and read a few more whilst you’re here. If you want to read some more of my usual kind of stuff, head over to my Mum Life section. You’ll find all things parenting with a tongue-in-cheek twist. Or if you want some days out and UK family holiday inspiration, click on the Travel section.

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