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Home › Articles › Child Care › Childcare

Childcare

4 Steps to Finding the Right Child Care

By Amy Carey

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Once you've found one or more candidates you think are a good match for your family, you still have some work ahead of you. Don't plan to hand over the house keys to the first caregiver who seems to fit the bill. Establish a trial period, perhaps two weeks in length, during which neither party is under contract to the other. You and your potential caregiver should decide up front how much money you'll offer per hour during the trial period. If you're working with a daycare center, they may have their own rules about how often you can visit and how much you'll need to pay to register your child.

Arrange to be present for the first few visits while the candidate spends an hour or so with your child. You can eventually increase the time the two are together while decreasing the time you are present. The trial period allows both parties to spot potential problems with the relationship before the contracts are signed. Either of you can back out without investing too much time. You also can use this time to model how you care for your child. For example, as the caregiver spends time with you, she should note how you discipline your child, what you feed him for lunch, how you respond to his cries to be picked up, where you go to the park and more.

If at any point during the trial period you don't feel comfortable leaving your child with this caregiver, try to figure out why -- and stay present. Is this the wrong match? Are you rushing the relationship? Can you make any adjustments or should you just move on to the next candidate?

  • The Contract.
    After the trial period, if both you and your potential child care provider are still interested in establishing a relationship, it is important that you draw up a contract. The contract can be as simple or detailed as you choose, but it will play an important role in the coming months as you try to smooth any bumps in the road. You can find sample contracts online or, if you're working through a nanny agency, your placement counselor might have examples to follow. (If you're considering a daycare center, they will probably provide you with a handbook or set of pamphlets containing rules and guidelines.) Included in your contract should be some of the following:
    • What hours is the caregiver expected to work and for what pay? What time should she arrive?
    • How often will the caregiver be paid?
    • What benefits, if any, will the child care provider be offered?
    • How should the caregiver discipline your child?
    • What actions should be taken in case of an emergency?
    • Is the caregiver expected to transport the child by car, and if so, will she have the use of your vehicle?
    • What type of activities do you expect your child to engage in -- or abstain from -- throughout the day? For example, should the caregiver take the child to the park every morning? Do you wish to limit the amount of television your child watches?
    • What specific duties is the caregiver responsible for other than caring for your child? For example, any housework or cooking?
    • How much notice should either party give before terminating the relationship?

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