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Experts offer child-care advice to graduates
by Marqueita Sam
These parents will be faced with the task of searching for the right child-care facility for their
children - a difficult and tedious process.
"I am horrified at the thought of having to put my daughter in day care," said Kashonda Willis, a
UH-Clear Lake student and a mother of a 3-month-old. "I do not know the first thing about day care or
how to find one that is good for my daughter."
Like many students at UH-Clear Lake, Willis has been fortunate that a trusted friend could care for
her daughter while she attended classes at night. But after graduating in December, Willis will have
to put her daughter in day care when she begins to work.
Some day cares have waiting lists, so parents who anticipate a need for day care beginning in
January should start researching day care facilities now.
One basic qualification parents should look for, according to Alan Simpson, spokesman for the
National Association for the Education of Young Children, is the child-care facility's accredidation.
Although there are many programs that provide accreditation standards and certificates, the NAEYC
is the leading agency for accreditation standards.
"The NAEYC guidelines for accreditation comes in a small book of about 300 pages," Simpson said.
"These guidelines help the child-care facilities improve their services and rise to a level where the
center is providing the highest quality of care."
According to the NAEYC, when choosing a child-care facility, parents should look for a program with
a low adult-to-child ratio. This will allow the teacher to give individual attention to each child.
The Texas Minimum Standards guidelines for child-care facilities states that there must be one
adult per four infants, one adult per 11 to 13 2-year-olds, one adult per 15 to 17 3-year-olds, one
adult per 18 to 20 4 to 5-year-olds, and for ages 6 to 12, there should be one adult per 26 children.
"In an NAEYC accredited child-care facility, the child-to-adult ratio is much lower than state
minimum standard," said Brenda Oglesby, director and owner of Start Smart Education and Care Centers.
"Parents should prefer a childcare program that allows for individual attention for the children.
Also look for a program where there are fewer than six to eight infants, 10 to 12 toddlers, and no
more than 18 to 20 pre-schoolers. This is not for the whole center, but for the group or classroom."
Other things parents should look for when selecting a good child-care center is the professional
qualification and training of the teachers and staff. Ask the program director about the degrees and
certificates he or she may have.
Another thing to check is the center's goal and mission statement. Ask if the center has a vision
for education. Parents should also look at the staff and director turn-over rate. A high turn-over
rate is a warning sign.
"A high turn-over rate is a sign of several things," Simpson said. "It shows whether or not the
program values good teachers. Also, teachers who are there longer will establish stronger bonds with
your child, and those relations helps children grow and learn."
Finally, look for a day care that promotes a safe and healthy environment. Check to see if the
center is licensed by the state. A license issued by the state to run a day care center should be in
open view; if not, ask the director about it.
Make sure the facility is clean and all children are under adult supervision at all times. Ask
about safety procedures and emergency policies.
Most day cares allow parents to visit the center and spend time with the director and staff. This
gives parents an idea of the type of environment that their children will be in.
Also ask for referrals and references, and use them to gather information about the program.
"Parents should focus on the needs of the child," said Johnny Hollowell, owner and director of
Willowell Daycare Center. "Chil-dren need social interaction at an early age, and a good day care is
the perfect place."
Additional child-care reference sites are www.nbcdi.org, www.naeyc.org, www.nhsa.org and
www.ncca.org.
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Many student parents will graduate in December and enter the workforce, needing full-time
child-care for the first time.