Choosing a Daycare Nursery : Checklist
What sort of nursery do I want for my child?
Personal recommendations are an excellent place to start your choice of nursery for your child. Nurseries come in all shapes and sizes, so making the right choice means you have to weigh up lots of factors carefully. Speak to friends and family and pay potential nurseries a visit to see for yourself. These guidelines will help you establish your priorities as you embark on your search. They will also help you as make your visits.
It is important to see how a nursery operates and to understand why they work the way they do. For example, a large nursery with 40 children aged two to five in one room may sound chaotic. When you visit you should see if the children are split into smaller groups for activities and how they run their day in the room. Often large rooms such as this can be surprisingly quiet and parents like the idea of the younger children learning from the older ones – and having older ones look out for them. Children are separated by age from Primary 1, so there is a case for letting them mix while at nursery. Some nurseries are for just ten children while others have 60 and more. A small nursery may appeal, but they can be very quiet and not necessarily the ideal place for every child to spend their pre-school years. Primary 1 classes can have up to 30 children and this can be a big leap if a child has been in a class of just five or six children. Children can, of course, also thrive in a smaller setting.
Cleanliness is a big point for most parents. However, a nursery that is covered in sand or flour is not necessarily unclean. One reason for sending your child to a nursery is to let them to sit on the floor and play with a big bucket of cold spaghetti or splash water. Very few parents would allow their children to make a similar mess at home on such a regular basis. A nursery that is totally spotless, particularly at the end of the day, has clearly not been letting children enjoy these activities and, if it has, cleaning staff must have been working while children are being cared for. Cleaning after hours is obviously safer.
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Nursery daycare checklist
The premises and equipment
Is the equipment of good quality, clean, safe and appropriate?
Can the children help themselves easily to toys that interest them?
Is the interior bright, attractive, clean, well decorated, warm and light?
Is there access to fresh air and physical play?
Are these areas safe?
o thrive in a smaller setting.
Food options
What sort of meals are provided? Hot or cold?
Is the food freshly prepared?
Is there provision for special diets?
Are the menus changed regularly?
At what time are meals served?
Are meals included in the cost?
The children
Look at the children in the nursery. Do they appear to be happy, stimulated and well occupied?
Are the children using a variety of equipment?
Are the staff involved in play?
Ask about daily routines.
How will they impact your child?
For three to five-year-olds, learning should be through play, exploration and having fun. Ask how this happens in the nursery.
The staff
What is the staff turnover?
What checks and cross-references have been made?
All managers should be qualified in childcare to SVQ level 4 , and as a minimum, at least half of the staff in any one facility should be qualified in childcare to SVQ level 2.
At least one member of staff should have a First Aid Certificate.
Ask about child ratios. The guidelines require:
1:3 for 0-2 years
1:5 for 2-3 years
1:8 for 3-8 years
Do parents and staff work in partnership?
Are your child's activities and achievements recorded?
Will your child be attached to a keyworker who will be your main contact and will keep you informed of your child's development?
Are the staff happy, relaxed, well presented, calm and confident?
Nursery policies
Will the nursery inform you if your child has been unhappy during the day?
What are the settling in procedures?
What are the nursery's policies on diet, allergies, potty training and discipline?
How does the nursery make sure its staff are fully aware of each child's individual medical needs?
How is difficult behaviour managed?
Are policies in place to deal with emergency procedures, injury and infectious illnesses?
Costs and extras
What will the charge be?
Can you have flexible hours or an hourly rate?
Are you charged during a holiday period?
Can you have a part-time place?
Is the fee reduced for a full-time place?
Are nappies, meals, milk and activities included?
Is the nursery a "partner provider" which entitles you to subsidised fees for three to five-year-olds?
Professional organisations in Uk
Ensure the nursery is registered with the Care Commission. The registration certificate should be displayed together with a current certificate of insurance.
The nursery may have had an HMIe inspection or recent Care Commission report. They are available on the Internet.
Does the nursery also belong to a professional organisation such as the National Day Nurseries Association Scotland? It will keep them informed of current issues.
Has the nursery gained any awards of excellence, eg NDNA's e-Quality Counts or Quality Counts?
Your overall feeling
Did you enjoy your visit?
Was your visit friendly, relaxed and informative?
Did your child enjoy his/her visit?
Ref: http://www.articlesbase.com/babies-articles/choosing-a-daycare-nursery-checklist-5610438.html
Monday, February 6, 2012
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