Finding Quality Childcare

It can be a daunting and emotional experience choosing the right childcare setting for you and your children. In fact, four in five parents recently said that they would like more advice on what to consider in these situations.
 
Gut instinct and hearsay from other mums and dads can point you in the right direction, but clear guidance on what quality childcare looks like is always helpful.  That's why the government has produced the new Childcare Checklist, which contains many important hints and tips for you to think about before making a decision.

Families often tell us that they look for close, secure relationships between their child and the carer. These are crucial but parents also need to establish relationships with staff at the childcare setting. All children will be given "key workers", so getting to know these individuals and working closely with them to share information about your child is very important. 

A lot of parents also consider the general atmosphere of the nursery, children's centre or childminder's premises as being important. When visiting a childcare provider, parents can get a good sense for themselves of how inclusive a setting is by looking at the diversity of the children attending, the staff working there and also how the physical environment encourages access for all children. These are places where all children from all backgrounds and with varied needs are welcomed and are provided for.
 
With the help of the checklist, parents can find out lots more information on choosing the right childcare, such as the type of financial support available to them in the form of Working Tax Credits and free childcare hours, as well as where to go to seek information on the quality and standards of their local childcare provider. There is also a range of advice around safety, staffing levels and locality of childcare that parents should think about before making their decision. 

It's so important for children's futures that they start off in the best possible surroundings, so don't let the wide variety of choices and considerations for choosing childcare confuse you. Good quality childcarers will expect and welcome questions from parents, so draw up a list of things you want to know before you go and visit. 

For more information visit your local Family Information Service or to find your local childcare provider phone 0800 2 346 346 or visit www.direct.gov.uk/childcare