MomTrusted on Parenting, Kids, and Early Education Archive:

Selecting an Inhome or Family Child Care Provider

Charlene Olson, Family Child Care Specialist at 4C for Children, speaks with us about important considerations when selecting an inhome or family child care provider.  Watch the video or read more about the topic below!

What is an inhome or family child care provider?

A family child care home or inhome provider is most often one person caring for a small number of children in her home (not the home of the family).  The children’s ages can range from birth to school age.  People choose inhome care to have a home-like environment for their young children, for the children to receive more one on one attention, or to have interactions with children of different ages.

How many children can be cared for at a time?

State and local regulations vary by location.  Ohio Regulations, Kentucky Regulations

Tips for searching for a family home child care or home preschool provider

– talk to several providers to get a feel for what you like or want your child care provider to have

– ask about fees, hours of operation, vacation and holiday policies

– make appointments and visit a few providers with your child to observe them in the setting and with the daycare provider

– talk to other parents who are currently using the provider or have used the child care provider in the recent past

Characteristics of a good child care home

– warm, nurturing, kind, and patient

– respectful of children as little people/individuals

– laughs with, talks with, and listens to the children

– reads, plays, and sings with the children

– has experience caring for and educating children

– the caregiver nor anyone in the household should ever have been convicted of child abuse or neglect

Be aware of or establish the following policies and procedures

– accepting or exluding sick children

– holiday/vacation payments and time off

– posted emergency numbers including where parents can be reached

– plans for a substitute in case of an emergency

The home environment should

– limit tv watching

– protect stairways, windows, doorways with gates

– have heaters, stoves, electrical appliances, and furnaces out of children’s reach

– have child sized tables, chairs, and potty chairs

– have highchairs and a crib for each infant and a bed or cot for each preschool child

– lock up cleaning supplies and other dangerous chemicals

– cover electrical outlets

– have toys and activities easily accessible to children on low shelves or tables

Daily activities should include:

– quiet active play periods

– enough toys and interesting things to do for each aged child

– babies out of their crib most of their waking hours

– infants and toddlers able to eat and sleep according to their individual needs and schedules

At meal times:

– babies should be held when fed from a bottle

– children should be encouraged to try new foods but not forced to eat

– hands should be washed before meal preparation and eating

– well balanced and nutritious meals served

– food never withheld as punishment

Toilet or Potty training:

– should be viewed as a natural and positive process for the child

– diaper changing surfaces should be disinfected after each baby’s diaper change

– child care providers should wash hands after changing each baby

Health and Safety practices should include:

– a first aid kit should be available at all times

– an established emergency exit route everyone understandds

– a physically healthy caregiver

To find an inhome child care provider near you, search on 249smiles.com

It’s more than just finding child care…

It’s about creating a safe environment to find child care.

249smiles was created with the backdrop of random Craigslist posts and people telling us to look in the phone book for centers.  What can you learn from the phone book besides for a name and address?  How scary is it to talk to people about caring for your child who have no photo, no information, no parent references?  And why are these the only resources to find care for our dearest loved ones?

With 249smiles the search is safer and just makes more sense!  Our providers can upload photos of themselves, their employees, or facilities, they can give you important (need to know) information, you can get a sense of their philosophies, other parents can leave comments and ratings of the providers, and most importantly, you can contact those parents to ask specific questions about their experiences with the babysitter, nanny, or daycare provider.

It’s about making the important connections with other parents.

We found (in our own experience and in research) that parents don’t generally make the child care decision alone or based on an advertisement…they decide to entrust their child with someone because another parent told them about their great experience with them.  The got a good recommendation from someone they trusted.  They heard it from the mouth of another mother “yeah, my child went there and we all loved it!”  We base our decisions on other people experiences and 249smiles supports that!

It’s about finding the best child care.

There are many different types, styles, and philosophies of child care and that’s great!  There’s no universal ‘good’…we know different characteristics are good for different families.   That’s why 249smiles believes transparency and sharing are key in this process.  Child care providers have the opportunity to really show what they’re all about and give you the information you need.  Learn from what they tell you and from what they don’t.  Ask them questions in the comment section of their profile so you can help other parents in the process.  When you see a child care provider doing something you love, make sure you’re asking other providers if their doing it too!  This is the only way child care providers know what’s important to parents.

Cool things child care providers are doing now:

– Step Up to Quality (for Ohio child care centers)

– Stars for Kids Now (for Kentucky child care centers)

– American Red Cross CPR and First Aid courses

– American Red Cross Babysitter’s Training

Step Up to Quality Child Care Provider List :: Cincinnati Ohio

List compiled 9/7/09 – Hamilton County

Step Up to Quality Rated Child Care Programs in Cincinnnati with 3 stars

ARLITT CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER
CHAMPIONS – REX RALPH
CHILDREN’S FOR CHILDREN
CHILDREN’S FOR CHILDREN – P & G
CINCINNATI EARLY LEARNING CENTER – EAST END
CINCINNATI EARLY LEARNING CENTER – EAST WALNUT HILLS
CINCINNATI EARLY LEARNING CENTER – WESTWOOD
CINCINNATI EARLY LEARNING CENTER – WALNUT HILLS
CINCINNATI EARLY LEARNING CENTER – HARRISON
CINCINNATI EARLY LEARNING CENTER – YWCA OF GREATER CINCINNATI / DOWNTOWN LOCATION
HYDE PARK COMMUNITY UMC PRESCHOOL
MT WASHINGTON U M C CHILD ENRICHMENT CENTER
PLEASANT RIDGE PRESBYTERIAN NURSERY SCHOOL
SYCAMORE PRESBYTERIAN PRESCHOOL
THE CHILDREN’S HOME OF CINCINNATI EARLY LEARNING INITIATIVE
UC EARLY LEARNING CENTER
WILLIAM L MALLORY EARLY LEARNING CENTER
YMCA CHILD CARE AT RAYMOND WALTERS COLLEGE
YMCA EARLY LEARNING CENTER (VALLEY)

Step Up to Quality Rated Child Care Programs in Cincinnnati with 2 stars

CHAMPIONS – FAIRFAX
CUB EARLY LEARNING ACADEMY (CAMP WASHINGTON)
CUB EARLY LEARNING ACADEMY (SILVER OAK ESTATES)
EMANUEL COMMUNITY CENTER
FOREST CHAPEL PRESCHOOL NURSERY SCHOOL
KINDERCARE LEARNING CENTER #1395 (at Montgomery Rd)
MONTGOMERY COMMUNITY CHURCH PRESCHOOL
PRESBYTERIAN PRESCHOOL
SHARONVILLE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH WEEKDAY NURSERY
STEPPING STONES CENTER
THE CHARLOTTE R. SCHMIDLAPP CHILDREN’S CENTER
YMCA CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER-WEST
YMCA CHRIST CHILD DAY NURSERY

Step Up to Quality Rated Child Care Programs in Cincinnnati with 1 star

A CHILD’S GARDEN
AGAPE CHILDREN’S CENTER
AMAZING GRACE LUTHERAN PRESCHOOL
ANDERSON HILLS PRESCHOOL
CHAMPIONS – INDIAN HILL ELEMENTARY
CHAMPIONS – LOVELAND
CUB EARLY LEARNING ACADEMY (COLLEGE HILL EAST)
CUB EARLY LEARNING ACADEMY (WINTON CAMPUS)
FUTURE ENVIRONMENTS CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER
HILLTOP PRESCHOOL AND CHILD CARE
JCC EARLY CHILDHOOD SCHOOL
JOHN WESLEY EARLY LEARNING CENTER
KINDERCARE LEARNING CENTER (at Anderson Ferry Rd)
KINDERCARE LEARNING CENTER (at Five Mile Rd)
KINDERCARE LEARNING CENTER #1561 (at Seven Gables Rd)
KINDERCARE LEARNING CENTER #421 (at Kemper Rd)
KINDERCARE LEARNING CENTER #552 (at Loveland Madera Rd)
KINDERCARE LEARNING CENTER #733
KINDERCARE LEARNING CENTER – CORNELL
KINDERCARE LEARNING CENTER – PLAINFIELD
LITTLE LAMB CHILD CARE LEARNING CENTER
LITTLE PEOPLE
LOVELAND CHRISTIAN PRESCHOOL
MEMORIAL CHILD CARE
MONTESSORI CENTER FOR LIFELONG LEARNING
PLEASANT RUN CHURCH OF CHRIST DAY CARE
PRECIOUS YEARS LEARNING CENTER
SERENDIPITY EARLY LEARNING CENTER
SON RISE LEARNING CENTER
THEODORE M. BERRY CHILDREN AND FAMILY LEARNING CENTER
VISIONS CHILD CARE & TEEN SUPPORT CENTER
YMCA CHILD CARE AT MONFORT HEIGHTS SCHOOL
YMCA CHILD CARE AT WEIGEL SCHOOL
YMCA NORTHSIDE CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER

Congratulations to these child care centers for achieving stars in Ohio’s quality rating program, Step Up to Quality!

Find more information about these and more child care centers, daycares, and preschools in Cincinnati at 249smiles.com

Ohio Child Care Center Quality Rating System

The Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services (ODJFS) has a voluntary Child Care Quality Rating System called Step Up To Quality. Licensed child care centers can opt-in to this program and achieve up to three stars when they work toward goals above and beyond the ODJFS child care licensing requirements.

According to ODJFS,

Step Up to Quality means:
– fewer children per classroom
– better trained teachers
– a more comprehensive early education experience for your child
– a focus on continuous improvement

One-Star Centers
• Have these teacher/child ratios
– Infants 0-12 months – 1:5 or 2:10; 12-18 months – 1:6
– Toddlers 18-36 months – 1:7; 30-36 months – 1:8
– Preschoolers 36-48 months – 1:12; 48-60 months – 1:14
– School-Agers 5-15 years – 1:18
• Teachers and the administrator receive 10 hours of specialized training per year. This shows a commitment to expanding their knowledge and skills in order to support your child’s development and learning.
• Teachers are familiar with the Infant and Toddler Guidelines and Ohio’s Early Learning Content Standards. This
supports your child’s development and learning.
• The program provides at least one employee benefit to staff members. This means employees are valued, which in turn reduces staff turnover and provides continuity of care for your child.

Two-Star Centers
• Have these teacher/child ratios
– Infants 0-12 months – 1:5; 12-18 months – 1:6
– Toddlers 18-36 months – 1:7
– Preschoolers 36-48 months – 1:10; 48-60 months – 1:12
– School-Agers 5-15 years – 1:16
• Half of the lead teachers have an AA Degree in Early Childhood Education or Career Pathways Level 3.
• Teachers and the administrator receive 10 hours of specialized training per year. This shows a
commitment to expanding their knowledge and skills. In order to
support your child’s development and learning, teachers utilize these skills in their curriculum planning.
• The program provides at least two employee benefits to staff members. This means employees are valued and treated as professionals, which in turn reduces staff turnover and provides continuity of care for your child.

Three-Star Centers
• Have these teacher/child ratios
– Infants 0-12 months – 1:4 or 2:8 or 3:10; 12-18 months – 1:5
– Toddlers 18-36 months – 1:6
– Preschoolers 36-48 months – 1:10; 48-60 months – 1:10
– School-Agers 5-15 years – 1:15
• Staff/child ratios in all classrooms meet national high-quality early care and education standards.
• All lead teachers have an AA degree in early childhood education or
Career Pathways Level 3.
• Teachers and the administrator receive 10 hours of specialized training per year, above licensing requirements. Specialized training on Infant and Toddler Guidelines
and Ohio’s Early Learning Content
Standards gives teachers the ability to assess children’s progress and prepare them for kindergarten.
• The program provides at least three employee benefits to staff members. This means employees are valued and treated as professionals, which in turn reduces staff turnover and provides continuity of care for your child.

Learn more about Ohio’s early care and education quality standard program here.

A short while ago, we had the pleasure of talking to Sallie Westheimer, of 4C for Children, about Ohio and Kentucky’s Quality Rating Programs (Ohio’s quality rating system is Step Up to Quality and Kentucky’s quality rating system is Stars for Kids Now). She tells us that when evaluating licensed child care centers these programs take a look at teacher and director training, number of children each adult cares for (the fewer the better), among other things. She urges parents to ask about the quality rating system when visiting centers…are they participating, how many stars do they have, are they working toward a star? Check out the video to learn more.

In this video, Sallie makes an important distinction between the child care quality rating systems and a restaurant or hotel rating system. Generally, rating systems run the spectrum from bad to good (for example, a hotel with a 1 star rating in a 3-5 star system is thought of as a bad rating), however in the Ohio and Kentucky Quality Rating Systems even one star is going above and beyond what is required of them for state licensing.

For additional information please visit:
Ohio Jobs and Family Services
Kentucky Department of Education
4C for Children

Also be sure to visit 249smiles.com to talk with quality rated child care providers* in your area, find important information, and get recommendations from parents like you!

*note: not all child care providers on 249smiles.com are quality rated.

What does Ratio mean in a Child Care Setting?

A child care ratio is the number of teachers or caregivers to the number of children.

For example, a 1:5 (or 1 to 5 or 1/5) ratio means there will be 1 teacher/caregiver for every 5 children. If there are 15 children, then there must be 3 teachers/caregivers.

Webinar: How to Assess a Child Care Setting

Child Care Aware is running a free webinar for parents on How to Assess a Child Care Option. More about this web event:

Choosing good child care is one of the most important decisions you will ever make for your child. How do you know which child care setting meets your family’s needs? How do you assess quality? Join NACCRRA’s outstanding Senior Early Education Specialist and Consumer Education Specialist, Niki Smidt and Mujaahida Latif, for an informative session about what you should look for when you choose a child care center or family child care home. This interactive session include questions and answers, so come armed with your burning questions about child care.

Wednesday July 22nd at 8:30pm – 9:30pm Eastern Standard Time (EST)

Central 7:30 – 8:30pm, Mountain 6:30 – 7:30pm, Pacific 5:30 – 6:30pm, Alaska/Hawaii 4:30pm/2:30pm

It’s FREE! Click here to REGISTER.

Free Montessori Education in Cincinnati!

Did you know that Cincinnati is a leading city in Montessori? Cincinnati has an extensive Montessori history, educator training program, and public Montessori schools. Read more about it at: Soapbox Media > CPS’s Montessori Story

List of Cincinnati’s Public Montessori Preschools
– Dater Montessori in Price Hill : website | report card | 249smiles link
– North Avondale Montessori School : website | report card | 249smiles link
– Pleasant Ridge Montessori School : website | report card | 249smiles link
– Sands Montessori School : website | report card | 249smiles link
– Winton Montessori School : website | report card | 249smiles link

Also, here’s some preschools that are not free but still Montessori…

List of Cincinnati’s Private Montessori Preschools
– Central Montessori Academy
– Children’s Meeting House Montessori School
– The Child’s Place Montessori School
– Cincinnati Country Day School
– Discovery Center Montessori Preschool
– Cornerstone Montessori School
– Country Hills Montessori Eastgate | Springboro | West Chester | Harrison | Ft. Thomas | Erlanger
– Farmview Montessori Garden
– Garden Montessori School
– Kennedy Heights Montessori Center
– Kinder Garden School
– Maple Knoll Child Center
– Mercy Montessori Center
– Montessori Academy of Cincinnati
– Montessori Center for Lifelong Learning
– Montessori Center Room
– Northern Kentucky Montessori Center
– Queen of Angels Montessori
– Park Montessori
– Renaissance Montessori School
– St. Rita School for the Deaf
– St. Ursula Villa
– Spring East Montessori
– The Summit Country Day Montessori School
– Terry’s Montessori School 209 | 425 | 435
– The New School Montessori
– Trent Montessori
– Villa Madonna Montessori School

Learn more about Montessori…
Cincinnati Montessori Society
American Montessori Society