• Centers are larger and have more and staff and more children (13 or more)
• The director of a center is required to have a degree in Early Childhood Education
• All staff must maintain Infant, Child and Adult CPR and 1st Aide
• All staff must maintain between 18 and 30 hours of training each year depending whether they are full or part time staff
• Centers tend to be more structured than other kinds of programs.
• Centers tend to less flexible about scheduling than other types of care.

• Small facilities are licensed for up to 12 children outside the provider's home.
• The director of a small facility is required to have a degree in Early Childhood Education
• All staff must maintain Infant, Child and Adult CPR and 1st Aide
• All staff must maintain between 18 and 30 hours of training each year depending whether they are full or part time staff
• Like centers small facilities tend to be more structured than other kinds of programs.
• Like centers small facilities tend to less flexible about scheduling than other types of care.

• Certified family child care providers are certified to care for up 12 children in their own home
• A single provider may watch twelve children only if all children are school age.
• More and more often family child care providers are not working alone. With additional staff their ratios will change but their maximum capacity will not.  They can still only care for 12 children at a time (see table below)
• Providers must maintain Infant, Child and Adult CPR and 1st Aide
• Providers must maintain 6 hours of training each year
• Family child care tends to be less structured than center based care but this does not mean there is no structure. There is a growing emphasis on early childhood education and age appropriate activities
• Family based child care tends to be somewhat more flexible about scheduling than center based care.

• Legal exempt providers are not regulated by the state in any way.
• Legal exempt providers may only care for 2 childrem who are not their own at any given time
• Legal exempt providers may or may not maintain Infant, Child and Adult CPR and 1st Aide
• Legal exempt providers are not required to maintain trainings hours
• Legal exempt providers have passed a criminal, a child protective and a motor vehicle background check.
• Legal exempt providers tend to be the least structured kind of care available
• Legal exempt providers tend to be the most flexible about sch

• Provider should make a lot of eye contact with infants.
• Provider gives infant his/her attention and talks to child while changing, feeding, dressing him.
• Provider moves infant throughout day giving them a variety of things to see and touch.
• Provider accomodates the child's specific schedule...infants are fed and allowed to sleep when they are comfort doing so

• Low care giver turnover rate - toddlers need to form bonds with the people caring for them.
• Restrictions placed on toddlers are minimal and based on physical and emotional safety allowing them to test their limits.
• The emphasis is on the choices the toddler has rather than the things the toddler can not do thus avoiding power struggles.
• Toddlers are encouraged and supported when they try take care of their needs...such as feeding themselves or dressing themselves.

• Choose a teacher who provides meaning activities that will challenge your child and encourage development but allows them to complete most work.
• Staff should encourage conversation...talking about their artwork, their role playing, the games they play, etc...
• Children should have easy access to the toys and materials used throughout the day.
• Staff should set clear consistent limits regarding acceptable social behavior that reflect family values.

• Staff should be involved with children and respectful of both children and other staff members.
• The area should include a quiet clean space for reading, homework, games, etc as well as active play areas.
• Parent and students should be involved in planning daycare activities.
• The children in the program should appear to be happy and engaged in activities.
• Snacks should be both healthy and plentiful.

       

          Is This the Right Place for My Child?:
Checklist Helps Parents Identify High-Quality Child Care