When you’re looking at daycare centers in Mesa, you want to make sure you know what to look for…
In our last article, we covered some things to look for. Here are some more to consider, according to the site BABYCENTER.COM
Criteria for a Daycare Center in Mesa
A good daycare center in Mesa will also have good people working for them.
“A qualified, caring staff
A trained, qualified staff is one advantage centers may have over nannies and home daycare providers, who don’t always have specialized education. Daycare center employees should be educated, with at least two years of college, a background in early childhood development (though many states don’t require this), and CPR and other emergency training. (In some states and counties home daycare providers can obtain a license as well, if they’re trained in CPR, pediatric first aid, and early childhood education.)
Note how the staff interacts with the children. Caregivers should be responsible, enthusiastic, and well prepared. Look for a staff that shares your philosophies on sleep, discipline, feeding, and other care issues. Good caregivers will ask detailed questions about your child’s health and care to help determine whether their center is right for you.
Make sure the center has plenty of staff so your child gets the attention and care she needs. The ratio of caregivers to children can vary, depending on group size. NAEYC has set these guidelines:
For babies, the ratio is one caregiver for every three children if a group has six infants, one for every four if a group has eight babies.
For toddlers (12 to 28 months), the ratio is 1:3 for six children and 1:4 for eight or more children.
For children between 21 and 36 months, the ratio should be 1:4 for a group of eight children, 1:5 for a group of ten, and 1:6 for a group of 12.
For children 30 to 48 months, the ratio should be 1:6 for a group of 12 children, 1:7 for a group of 14, 1:8 for a group of 16, and 1:9 for a group of 18.
For 4- and 5-year-olds, the ratio should be 1:8 for a group of 16 children, 1:9 for a group of 18 children, and 1:10 for a group of 20 children.
Note that centers aren’t required to follow NAEYC’s recommendations, so ask what each center’s ratio is and decide whether it’s okay for you. A good center will keep groups of children small no matter how many employees they have, to encourage interaction and development.
Look for a center with good staff benefits. Centers that pay their employees well and offer them vacation time, health insurance, and an education allowance, for example, are more likely to have caregivers who stick around. Low turnover is key to ensuring consistent, stable care for your child.
Bottom line: If staff training isn’t up to snuff, and they seem overworked or don’t stick around very long, the center isn’t for you.” [READ MORE]
To read more on this subject, please click here.
Kid’s Corner Preschool & Childcare
2051 W. Guadalupe Rd .#15
mesa AZ 85202
(480) 267-9419
https://www.kidscorneraz.com
