| Parents would want only the safest places for their | | | | are the ages of the children. You can also check with |
| children. When choosing a daycare center where you | | | | local authorities regarding the rules applied in your area. |
| would be leaving your child most of the time, you have | | | | Most providers have this quite usual practice of paying |
| to ensure that they strictly follow laws, regulations and | | | | for sick days and being absent. Parents are not really |
| rules on safety as well as for producing a conducive | | | | paying for the service but for the slot reserved as the |
| learning environment for your child. | | | | service for your child cannot be used or occupied by |
| You need to check whether your provider is able to | | | | another child. This allows child care providers to |
| meets the requirements needed for fire safety. There | | | | generate some budget according to the number of |
| should be fire alarms and smoke detectors scattered | | | | children that they watch and pay for: staff, food for |
| all throughout the center as well as clearly marked fire | | | | the kids, toys as well as other supplies. |
| escape plan that staff and parents can refer to. You | | | | If you think this is a serious matter, you should |
| should also check whether the mats and cots | | | | therefore find a center charging only for the actual day |
| mattresses used in the center are fire retardant. | | | | that your child is there. You can opt for smaller home |
| Centers should also carry out fire drills to ensure that | | | | facilities as they don't charge for sick days |
| everyone can do what needs to be done. You may | | | | Aside from these, you may also check the minimum |
| also check with the local authority for other regulations | | | | age for a child to be legally left home alone and |
| that applies. | | | | unsupervised as this usually differ from state to state. |
| For class sizes, you have to check that newborn | | | | Being home alone also means the right age of child |
| children until one year are infants having exclusive | | | | watching another even if the other child is a sibling. |
| needs and care requirements. Most providers keep a | | | | What you can do to find the legal age for a child to be |
| little higher rates for infants. 12 months until 2 and half | | | | left unsupervised in your area is by contacting your |
| years old are considered as toddlers. Two and half | | | | area's department of social services dealing with child |
| year olds up to four or five are considered as | | | | care. You should not simply believe in what your |
| kindergarten. | | | | friends tell your or your neighbours as they could have |
| You may check with your local authority regarding the | | | | outdated or erroneous information. You may also |
| stipulations on how many children can a care provider | | | | check out the required supervisory conditions such as |
| should handle as well as the space needed for each | | | | availability of a neighbour, contact numbers as well as |
| child in the facility. Parent should how many children are | | | | if it is needed that the older kid should have some |
| in the care of a provider at a certain time and what | | | | training of some kind. |