What type of Child Care is best?

Are you starting the search for childcare? or are you looking for a new childcare provider? Before you start the search make sure you know the basic rules and laws that govern different types of childcare in Ohio! 

Why should you care?
All of the rules and laws that are issued by ODJFS Childcare licensing in Ohio were created in order to make sure that your child(ren) are being taken care of and are safe. When you are looking for a childcare provider you should make sure that your provider is at least following safety standards.

Before starting don't forget to review...

• Review all licensing inspections. For licensed home providers you may have to contact your local ODJFS office to review any licensing reports. See reasons below for why you should pick a licensed child care center see below. To search for a licensed provider, sitter or center, visit: http://childcaresearch.ohio.gov
• Make sure you talk to your friends. Reviewing online ratings is one way to find out information but make sure you talk to your friends and neighbors so you know that the information you are receiving is correct. 
• Schedule a tour for peak hours to meet all teachers and staff. Scheduling a first tour is a great way to receive the time and attention you will need to ask questions and receive a lot of information about the center. 
• Visit again, without a scheduled tour, to see what the center is like when they are not prepared for a tour. This will give you a quick view of what the classrooms are like

Basic things to look for at a child care center

• Review their licensing reports online (use the link above) and make sure you ask questions about all serious-risk violations that are posted. 
• Make sure the childcare center is keeping ratios correct by checking to make sure that 2 staff members are on duty at all times and that room sizes do not go above ratio (ratio charts should be posted near, or in, each classroom). Ask about ratio sizes! All childcare providers should know this information.
• Make sure that there are lesson plans that are current outside each room! Licensed centers must post and follow lesson plans. Ask to review these before having your child start. These lesson plans should be posted outside or inside of each classroom. 
• Ask to sit in a room for a few minutes to make sure each child is being provided with appropriate care! This is a great thing to do during your second tour!

Family Child Care Type B

• Hope providers should not have more than 6 children at a time. This includes the providers own children under 6 years old. They should also never have more than 3 children under the age of two at a time. 
• Ask about backup care, background checks, and curriculum/lesson plans. 
• View all play spaces and bathrooms
• Ask about pets and visitors in the home. 

Unlicensed Home Care

• These providers are not licensed by the state-so getting a background check or references from friends is important. 
• These providers may never watch over 6 children at one time in the State of Ohio-if they are, they must be licensed.
• Ask about back up care and who else may be watching your child
• Make sure you ask about curriculum, schedule and tuition collection!

Why choose a licensed program?

• Providers receive regular checks through state agencies
• In a child care center there is always a back up person to keep an eye on things and help in case of emergencies. 
• Providers are required to have training in basic health and safety skills as well as regular professional development training
• Monitoring of homes/centers are done to make sure that there are no safety risks. 
• Providers must have regular activities for children that are developmentally appropriate, a safe environment, emergency procedures, curriculum and appropriate staffing for emergencies
• Unlicensed sitters are not background checked-you can look up local criminal records through your county and city public records. You may want  to request an FBI and BCI II background check which will let you see if there are any state or federal offenses. 

Who do you ask if you have questions?

• The best person to contact is your ODJFS licensing agency (found at the link above)
• Each county in Ohio has an organization that helps with childcare-In Union County, Ohio it is Action for Children. You can reach out to this organization for help
• World of Wonders will help families find the appropriate center that will meet their needs. If you would ever like to find out more information about WOW reach out to Lauren@wowchildcare.org for more information!

30 Truths About Child Care Teachers

30 Truths About Child Care Teachers

1. We sing a lot-when you come in a room and we are singing, we would love it if you would join along. Often  you will find us sharing songs and singing to each other. Most of us sing randomly throughout normal tasks, even when there are no kids around!
2. We are incredibly patient: We are masters at taking a deep breath and jumping back in when we feel overwhelmed. 
3. We cringe when someone calls us a babysitter: We are constantly doing assessments, looking for sick kids, following hundreds of licensing rules, helping children learn and get along. We are not babysitters!
4. We do more than just play all day, but we love to play: We often talk about how our job is the BEST job in the world!
5. We wash our hands ALL THE TIME: Our hands dry out becasue we can wash our hands over 50 times a day, and the soap dries them out. We need to stay healthy and clean in order to be with your kiddos.
6. We get sick, a lot: New teachers get sick the most, and we seem to always get sick when we get back from a vacation. We are in charge of helping everyone wash their hands, wiping noses, and cuddling ill children. If we are out for a day, we are sorry, but we don't want to spread the germs!
7. We love Pinterest: We make grand plans for our classrooms with the help of the internet. We are thankful for Pinterest everyday!
8. Sometimes our lesson plans fall short: Sometimes we work for an hour on a lesson plan only to have the kids not be interested in it, or we forget a material, or it just does not work. We don't worry about it though and instantly work on turning the materials into another mess!
9. We are used to all behaviors: Trust me, we have seen it all and we work with a team of people who have years of experience. If you have questions about your child's behavior, just ask!
10. Even when you think your child is having the worst day ever, trust me, we have seen worse: Parent's worry about how their kids act at school, but we know that it is just part of their development. We will let you know about concerns, but we have seen it all!
11. We know that everyday objects are better than the world's most expensive toys: We love toys, but kids love everyday objects like a bin of rice or pots and pans way more!
12. We love going outside as much as the kids: It is time for us to run around, act like kids, and get some fresh air!
13. We can have 20 children wash their hands in just a few minutes: At home it takes us 10 minutes to get one child to wash hands, but at school we are masters of getting all the kids to wash their hands in a matter of minutes. Songs help!
14. We don't always tell you when "firsts" happen at school-we want parents to see their child's firsts (steps, word, sitting up, first time reading a word) so we don't always tell you when they happen!
15. We laugh, a lot-we laugh all the time. We have a fun job and we love it!
16. We can remember 100 names of kids at school, but often forget our own kid's names!
17. Most of us hate glitter, some of us LOVE glitter-Glitter is either awesome, or a mess....we don't judge you if you throw our your glitter projects before they get in the car....but we keep using glitter because the kiddos love it!
18. Sensory is the best activity, but worst to clean up-Sensory activities, sand/water/goop/etc. are a huge mess, but the kids love it and we know it is an important tool to building small motor skills and learning basic concepts
19. The brightest moment of our day is when something "clicks"-We love to see when a child signs for the first time, 
20. The little things from parents matter-a quick thank you, a nice note, a complement on a project done in class-this can make our day!
21. Sometimes sitting back for a moment and watching the children get along is all we need- We know our biggest job is to teach social skills, as that is what children need to know to succeed in kindergarten. When the entire class collaborates on a project, sometimes we just watch and help! It is wonderful to see our hard work paying off
22. We love it when someone notices our hard work
23. Cleaning is part of our job, but not our favorite part
24. We talk about your child all the time-We spend most of our time with other people's children and love it so much! If you come in during lunch you will probably find all of us standing around talking about the successes of our students. 
25. We love our jobs!