by Virginia L. Allen

Created on: May 05, 2010

When choosing the appropriate child care for your family and child's needs, there are at least six things to keep in mind.

These include:

1.) The form of child care appropriate for you and your family.

2.) What you can afford.

3.) What qualifications you desire in the caretaker.

4.) The program's size.

5.) Safety concerns.

6.) General procedures and goals of a child-care facility.

A. The Appropriate Child Care for You and Your Family.

When choosing child care for your children, the first thing you need to determine is your family's specific needs and desires.

Therefore, ask yourself:

* Do I want my child to be cared for in my home, someone else home, or in a child-care center? If away from home, in what part of town will my child be cared for?

* What form of child care would work in my child's best interest? In-home care? Family child care? Child-care facility?

* What days or hours will I require care for my child?

* What child care provider will meet the special needs of my child? - If there are any that need to be considered.

B. What You Can Afford.

Different forms of child care vary in cost. More often than not, availing yourself to family child care is a more inexpensive option than in-home care or opting to place your child in a child-care center.

C. Your Child Care Provider's Qualifications.

Is your child care provider licenced and registered with the state? Are they certified in infant and child CPR? Are they educated in what to do in the event of an emergency? What about teaching qualifications. Think about these things when determining what child care will work best for your family.

(Licensing and registrations vary from state to state. To request general information regarding national standards for a safe and healthy child-care center and the basic requirements for family child-care homes, write to the American Academy of Pediatrics, Dept. C-Child Care, 141 Northwest Point Boulevard, P.O. Box 927, Elk Grove Village, Illinois 60009).

D. Program Size.

Depending on what child/staff ratio you are concerned with, choose a care provider that will meet your child's needs and your wishes. If you desire a smaller program size for your child, opt for ones that are groups of 6, where the child/staff ratio is 3:1. Once the group goes above 8, expect the child/ratio staff rate to drop lower.

The lower the child/staff ratio is, the more one-on-one attention your child will receive.

E. Safety Concerns.

Your child's safety is just as vital when determining the

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