Finding quality childcare in Sydney is a challenge every parent must prepare for. All of us no doubt want a place where our child is safe and comfortable. You will also want your child to be exposed to quality early childhood experiences.
Quality child care does not come cheap so you need to be sure that you are getting the ultimate value for your money. Thankfully, you have this blog to help you narrow down to the most suitable option.
Here is a list of questions to ask during your search for quality childcare.
Is The Center Safe And Clean?
Safety should always be a priority in your search for quality best childcare Centres in Sydney. Go ahead and visit the centres to assess their safety measures.
Do they have a system to monitor who comes in and goes out of the centre? Is there a perimeter fence? You do not want your child wandering outside or unauthorized persons accessing them.
Also, the lighting and ventilation should be good to prevent eye damage and airborne infections. Is the premise clean? And is their waste disposed of correctly? Waste is a health hazard, especially to your young child. There should be in place good cleaning, sanitization and waste segregation protocols.
What Are The Operating Hours And Charges?
A good childcare centre should be flexible enough to cover your schedule. Find out what time they open. Make sure it is early enough so that you are not late to the office or meetings. The same goes for closing time. Ask if they offer care in alternating shifts if your work demands it.
Other questions to ask include: Do they charge extra for overtime? What are their charges? Do they fit within your budget?
Find out if all activities are included in the fees, and if not, what are the other charges. Make sure you get an explanation of all the things that you pay for.
Also, find out whether the payment is made once or in instalments. Ask to know their acceptable modes of payment to avoid inconveniences. Find out if they adjust their charges based on the frequency of attendance. Do you still pay when your child is on sick off or vacation?
All these money questions should be answered.
What Is Their Discipline Policy?
Discipline is a sensitive issue to many parents. Most of us have reservations and preferences.
That said, even though you can teach your child some manners, enrolling them in childcare in Sydney is still a wise decision. This is because childcare centres usually have a written discipline policy. In fact, many have it on display for your perusal. You can go through it to examine their policies.
Go ahead and ask them about how they instil discipline. How do they handle different discipline issues? Which criteria do they use to discipline? What methods are used?
Are They Licensed?
Make sure your prospective childcare in Sydney has an up to date license. Without one, that simply means they are operating illegally and most probably haven’t met the minimum requirements set by authorities.
If they can show you the paperwork, that is even better. You can also double-check with the authorities. Ask to see a list of the licensed and accredited centres in Sydney.
What Is Their Communication Policy?
Communication is a key factor in all areas of life. As a parent, you will want to know your child's progress as they attend childcare in Sydney. So ask your chosen childcare centres how they plan to keep in touch with you.
Specifically, ask what form of communication they use. Are you allowed to call the school or caregiver in the course of the day to check on your child? What happens in case of an emergency or illness? Do they have other ways of reaching you in case of an emergency?
Are You Allowed To Visit?
It is normal for every parent to think about their child at all times. It feels good to know you can see them any time you want.
Therefore, you should enrol them in a centre that allows you to check up on your child as often as you wish. Can you drop by and pick your child briefly? Are you allowed to volunteer or participate in upcoming class activities? Do they have activities that the child and parent can participate in?
As mentioned earlier, remember to also ask if they have security measures to keep children away from strangers.
How Qualified Is The Personnel?
Quality childcare Sydney is known to be offered by qualified and experienced caregivers. So, you need to find out how well trained the caregivers in your chosen centre are.
Do they have special skills or additional training? Having caregivers with extra knowledge such as first aid skills is an added advantage.
What is the turnover for caregivers? Turnovers are inevitable. However, a high rate is not a good sign for a childcare centre.
What is the ratio of caregivers to children? Is the caregiver able to comfortably take care of the children assigned to them? Ask if your child is assigned one primary caregiver or if it works like a school system.
What Is The Policy On Sick Children?
In every reliable childcare centre in Sydney, this is a weight issue that usually attracts serious consideration. This is because of how fast a disease can spread in a childcare facility. Be it a fever or a sniffle, a sick child exposes it to other children leading to an outbreak.
Therefore, ask your chosen childcare provider how they approach such situations. Do they have a trained medic or nurse on-site? Do they take care of your child until pick up time or do they call you to pick them up?
What Diet Options Do They Have?
Nutrition is an important factor in your child's growth. So ask to know what meal options your chosen childcare in Sydney offers. Ask to see where the meals are prepared as well.
Is it a balanced diet? Who prepares the food? What options do they have for children with allergies or chronic conditions like diabetes?
Is your child allowed to carry snacks from home, or does the centre provide them?
In summary, questions are a good way to evaluate your childcare options. You can count on the ones we have discussed to help you during your search for quality childcare in Sydney. Responses to them help you decide if you found your match or not.
All the best!
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