Often, parents don’t have enough time to take care of their children. This is especially true for many young families with two working parents. It means that there should be someone who cares for their children at specific time. By choosing the right child care centers, parents don’t need to worry that their children will be neglected and abused. The child care center should have an open door policy, so anyone can inspect what children are doing. The center should also be licensed by the local authority. The staff should be well trained on protecting and educating children. They should be careful in ensuring that children stay healthy and hygienic. As an example, the child care staff could wear plastic gloves when they administer first aid and change diapers.

The childcare center should appear clean and well managed. All trash cans themselves should appear clean with plastic bags inside. Observe whether the staff takes out the trash each day. Parents shouldn’t be afraid to ask the staff about the recent inspection date, to make sure that the center remains compliant with existing rules. If you are still not certain, it is a good idea to check staff with the local police department. It would be a huge red flag, if the staff received complaints about negligence in the past. It would also be a bad sign, if the staff was known for cases of domestic violence, because it means that they are unable to deal with conflicts in a proper manner. Staff should show good discipline and knowledge on proper nutrition.

Staff should have good understanding on the normal child development. They need to know how to deal with food allergies and prepare food properly to maintain hygiene and prevent incidences of allergies on some children. They should know how to administer CPR safely on infants and children. Parents should inspect the condition of the childcare center and take a walkthrough around the facility. The outdoor playing areas should be perfectly safe. There are cases of injuries due to unsafe situations in the playing areas. Bruises, bleeding and broken bones can happen quite easily among active children, if some safety elements are neglected. Everything in outdoor and indoor space should be at proper height, so children won’t get injured due to bumps and falls.

You should find out what staff is doing when they are supervising children. They need to be active and intervene when risky situation arises. There should be safe surfaces in areas where children may fall. As an example, the floor can be covered with thick, soft rubber matting, so children won’t be injured or feel pain when they fall. Always look for things that can potentially cause injuries inside the child care center. Check whether the childcare center has a contingency plan and it is appropriate for children. There should be regular exercise for emergency situation involving children. Staff should be able to do this without causing panic among children. During emergency situation, they should be able to calm children down.