Choosing the right daycare for your little one is one of the most important decisions you and your family can make. You’re looking for providers and educators that will display care, affection, and a thorough understanding of development in an environment that is clean and safe.
But with so many options to choose from, how do you know when your making the right choice? What are the warning signs of a bad daycare centre?
Licensing
All daycare centres should be licensed to ensure that they meet specific regulatory requirements. The licensing decal should also be visible for all those who enter to see. If you don’t see one, just ask. The supervisor or director should have no issues speaking with about their licensing results.
Making sure that your daycare is licensed gives you the reassurance that they are meeting the minimum requirements set out by their regulatory body. But really this is just the minimum… you should be looking for a quality daycare that works to exceed the minimum requirements.
If the daycare is not licensed, or barely meets the minimum requirements, it should not be the daycare for you.
High Turnovers
In the field of early childhood education, the goal of a competent director is to find caring and engaging educators that love what they do, and are committed to making a difference in the lives of children and parents. Unfortunately, sometimes to parents and families this appears to simply be high turnover. But there is a big difference between a daycare that values its educators, and one that does not.
Daycare centres that do not value their educators can’t even keep great educators around for long. You will often see engaging and welcoming educators also leave because of discontentment.
Unhappy Parents
If the option is available, seek out other parents to get a feel of their satisfaction with the centre. They will be the best indicators of how the centre values and treats their children, parents, and families.
Do your research by searching online, and reading all the reviews. Go with the daycare centre that other parents can’t stop praising. These parents would have had the same inquiries, nerves, and feelings you did in the beginning too!
During your tour, ask as many questions as you can. Ask the educators about their relationships with parents. Do they talk highly of the parents? So take reasonable consideration in what they have to say.
If there are numerous bad reviews and unsatisfied parents, then that should help make your decision easier.
Educators are under-qualified
Your child’s educator is more that just a ‘worker’, and has completed professional training. But the field of early childhood education is constantly evolving with new research based information. Because of this, training is needed to remain current.
Not only should you ask about how often educators participate in mandatory training (and what it entails), but you should also confirm that every educator and staff member has:
- A criminal background check,
- Valid First-aid and CPR training
- An updated immunization record
If they don’t, find another daycare.
A Messy Environment
Of course when children are actively having fun and engaged some mess should be expected! But be weary of environments that are perpetually dirty. Clutter, sticky, and dirty surfaces and floors are sure warning signs of an unkept, unsanitary daycare centre.
Safety is an Issue
Spotting signs of safety concerns is a big indicator that the daycare centre is not right for you and your little one. Competent providers will take care to ensure that the environment is safe enough for children to explore and take safe risks.
Ask the director about the centre’s emergency preparedness plans, proper storage for hazardous materials, and emergency management equipment. If the director has a difficult time answering your questions about safety, or cannot show you proper examples, then safety is an issue.
Unhappy Educators
Childcare can be a demanding job, and educators need to be able to push through the difficult and tiring days. If educators don’t appear welcoming and friendly, don’t engage with you and your child, or just don’t look happy or excited to be at the centre, then that may not be the centre for you.
While your little one is at the centre, you should feel at ease knowing that they are with comforting, nurturing, and engaging educators. If you don’t experience this while you’re there, more than likely your little one won’t experience it either.
Communication is Lost
When your little one is laughing and learning at the daycare centre, the educator should be eager to send you reports about their day. A good daycare centre will make sure to find ways to keep their parents informed, by sending emails, providing written reports, or even having daily conversations. Parents should expect to receive positive feedback about their child as well as feedback on areas of improvement.
A good daycare will also encourage you to be as involved as possible with the centre and their child’s care. Meetings with the educators are an important way to stay connected and to know what is going on when you are not there.
If you find that the educators lack effective communication skills, or the centre does not allow you to get involved, then this is a warning sign that it may not be the daycare for you.
There’s No curriculum
The first five years of your little one’s life sets the stage for later development and success, and early childhood educators are aware of the impact they can have a child’s life.
A good daycare centre will take care to ensure they have an age-appropriate and stimulating curriculum. Look for signs of engagement from both children and educators, and an ample amount of open ended play materials that can stimulate your child’s curiosity and creativity.
Warning signs of bad daycare will include a lack of curriculum and lack of engagement from both children and educators.
Unconcerned about your concerns
Educators ignoring your concerns is one of the biggest warning signs of a bad daycare.
We’re all human and unique. So even if you think you’ve found the perfect daycare, there will be times when you may have questions or concerns. This is normal! Early childhood educators know this, and know that they have been granted the privilege of caring for your little one. So they should have no issues in answering your questions.
If you ever have concerns or questions you should be able to comfortably address them with the educator. If the educator seems to have an attitude, becomes defensive or rude, or is just overall unconcerned about your concerns, your child may not be receiving the best care possible.
Not enough coverage
Daycares have to maintain a specific educator to child ratio. General recommendations across various regulatory bodies recommend one staff for every three to five small children (infants and toddlers), and one staff member for every seven to ten older children (preschool and older).
If you see that there are more children per educator, then this is a sign of a lack of supervision.
Vague Policies
A good daycare will have clear policies that they share with parents. If your centre does not have their policies documented in writing, you should be wary. If policies are not documented in writing, then they can’t be followed, by either you or employees.
The environment is not child friendly
A good daycare centre will be warm and welcoming. The environment will be child friendly in terms of both safety and engagement.
Is the furniture child sized? Are there stools available at the sinks? Are play materials at child level? Do the children see themselves within the environment, in pictures, books, or artwork, etc.?
If the environment does not allow your child to thrive to their best ability, then you need to keep looking for another daycare.
There’s No routine
Children thrive in predictable environments. Routine reduces anxiety and stress in children as they know what to expect throughout the day.
Good daycare centres will have a clear routine that allows children to benefit fully from the curriculum. A bad daycare will have little direction and structure for the children in their care.
The Menu Is not healthy
Healthy food is important for your little one’s brain and physical development, and for lifelong healthy eating. Because they are growing at such rapid speeds, children require proper nutrition for energy and nourishment.
A good daycare will:
- Offer a variety of different food groups
- Incorporate a variety of shapes, colors, temperatures and textures to promote variety
- serve new foods along with familiar foods
- Promote and support diversity by including dishes that reflect various cultures and traditions
One sure warning sign of a bad daycare is a menu that is dense with ‘fast’ sugary foods that have no nutritional value.
You just don’t feel it
Your gut and intuition are the most significant warning signs of a bad daycare. If you just don’t feel it, then you’re probably right.
