Quote:
Originally Posted by OhioChic
I have an interview set up with a new center tomorrow. What are some good questions I should ask. Im going to google it like someone else suggested but are there any good ones that I should definitly ask?
the ones I have so far
Do you have a first aid kit and know CPR?
How many caregivers are assigned to my child?
What are the range of activites my child will do on a daily basis?
What happens if I need to drop off or pick up late?
Do you ever take children offsite?
Will I be charged if I go on vacation or my child is sick and misses time?
Are crying babies responded to immediately?
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This is all based on recalling your baby is still young...hopefully that is correct. :-)
I'd change the first one to where is your first aid kit located, who is authorized to use it and what items from it may be used with my child? (at this age nothing from that kit should be used with the possible exception of antibiotic ointment and a bandaid and you will have to sign permission for even that to be administered) Most states require licensed centers to have a first aid kit with a very specific list of items included, but it must be locked up and only certain staff can access it.
Add to the second one who will be the primary caregiver responsible for the care of your daughter in the AM when you drop her off and in the PM when you pick her up, who else will be providing care and can you meet them all.
Regarding activities are you looking for general things they may do with her or asking for a daily report of what she does? (they should offer a variety of equipment for your child to use such as a bouncy seat, exer-saucer(or whatever they are called these days), high chair, playyard, swing and/or crib
and they never should be left in any given one for longer than about 30 minutes. Car seats should not be used during the day at all, not for sleeping or for the child to just sit in)
Dropping off and picking up late...it's common courtesy to let them know if your child will be arriving or departed at a different time other than when expected. If I recall correctly your daughter is still a baby and that means she should always be in the same room with the same providers no matter what time of day it is(unless there is staff absent and a substitute has to come)
In order to transport infants in most states, the ratio has to be 1 adult to one infant for centers therefore making it cost prohibitive to do so in almost all cases. Home care typically does not have the same requirements. So if they indicate they do take them ask them what the regulations state regarding staff/child ratio, car seats, insurance coverage etc.
Almost all centers, and home providers these days as well, charge based on enrollment and not attendance because the parent is paying for the spot the child takes, not whether they use the spot or not. Some offer vacations, but not many. It's good to know ahead of time how they handle it, but don't go in expecting to pay less when she is not there.
For the last one I'd ask how do you respond to crying babies instead of if they respond immediately. The reason is because there are so many types of cries that need different types of responses and I think it's more important to know what they will do. Also, your child may not be the one crying and you want to know what happens with her if another child is crying while she is being diapered, fed or rocked.
I'd add......
What do I need to provide and what do you provide?
(for example - do they use cloth wash cloths that they launder or wipes that your must provide)
How do you handle sanitation of toys, equipment, sleeping areas? (do they use bleach or another approved sanitation method? How often?)
Do you administer any medication and under what guidelines? (they should NOT administer anything to your child that is not prescription, not even diaper cream)
Do you feed and nap on demand or on a schedule? (when she is tired will they allow her to sleep or will the try to mold her to a schedule that they want?)
Where do they nap and how? (should be within the same room so they can be closely supervised just as they are while awake, they should not share cribs, tops and sides of cribs should not be covered and no toys in the crib)
How do they handle bottles and food items? (Ideally they have their own refrigerator and bottles and jar food should be individually labeled and not be shared. Table food should be cooked and prepared on site by someone with approval to do so. Bottles should not be warmed in microwave and food prep should not be done in the same sink where hand washing occurs)
How do they handle mobile babies versus non mobile, walkers versus crawlers and when do they move to the next classroom? Is it by age or ability or a combination? (some centers have babies 6 weeks - 18 months all in the same room and must have a way to help keep the non mobile babies safe from the rest. Others move babies who begin to walk to another class at that point or they move them at a specific age no matter where they are in mobility)
What is their illness policy? (How many diarrhea diapers before they send home? What temp is the cut off to send home? How do they handle rashes, upset tummies or runny noses?)
That's most of what comes to mind as specific to infants.
The rest is general center policy and if I think of others there I'll try to post back later. Hopefully this helps.
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