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ARE
YOU LOOKING FOR QUALITY CHILD CARE?
You are not alone! Choosing
child care is one of the most important and difficult tasks
a parent must face. Your child's happiness and your peace
of mind are important to us.
TYPES OF CHILD CARE
CERTIFIED CHILD CARE -
May care for up to 3
children in addition to relative children, for a total group
of 6 children under 7 years of age, in their home.
Provider's own children over 7 years of age do not count
toward the group total of six. These providers are
regulated through the county. There are two levels of
certification:
LEVEL 1 - REGULAR
CERTIFICATION- Providers have met all
certification standards and have completed 15 hours of
approved child care training. They are reimbursed at a
higher level than the provisional certification.
LEVEL 2 -
PROVISIONAL CERTIFICATION - Providers have
met all of the certification standards, but have NOT
completed 15 hours of approved child care training. They
are reimbursed at a lower rate than the regular
certification.
FAMILY LICENSED CHILD CARE -
May care for up to
8 children in their home. The provider's own children under
age 7 years ARE included in the total count of
8 children. These providers are regulated through the
state.
GROUP LICENSED CHILD CARE
CENTERS- Are those
serving 9 or more children, usually in a center. These
providers are regulated through the state.
CERTIFIED AND LICENSED CARE
GIVERS are persons
trained in child growth and development. These providers
are child care professionals and should not be thought of as
"babysitters". Anyone caring for 4 or more children under
the age of 7 MUST be licensed by the Wisconsin
Department of Health and Social Services.
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THE
FIVE-STEP PLAN TO IDENTIFY QUALITY CHILD CARE
1) LOOK.
Begin by visiting several child care homes or centers. On
each visit, think about your first impression, but don’t
stop there. Does the place look safe? Do the care givers
or teachers enjoy talking and playing with children? Do
they talk with each child at the child’s eye level? Are
there plenty of toys and learning materials within a child’s
reach? Plan to visit a home or center more than once and
stay as long as possible to get a good idea of what care
would be like for your child. Even after you start using a
child care, keep visiting and checking it out.
2) LISTEN.
How does the child care setting sound? Do the children
sound happy and involved? Do the teachers’ voices sound
cheerful and patient? A place that is too quiet, may mean
not enough activity is taking place. A place that is too
noisy may mean there is a lack of control.
3) COUNT.
Count the number of children in the group, then the number
of staff people caring for the children. Obviously, the
fewer number of children for each adult, the more attention
your child will get. A small number of children per adult
is most important for infants and young children. (A child
care resource & referral counselor can tell you about
recommended staff-child ratios.)
4) ASK.
The knowledge and experience of the adults caring for your
child are very important. Find out about the special
training they each have. Ask about the background and
experience of all staff: care givers, teachers, and the
program director. Ask the same questions about any other
adults who will have contact with your child in the home or
center. Quality care givers / teachers will be happy to
have you ask these questions.
5) BE
INFORMED.
Find out more about efforts in your community to improve the
quality of child care. Is your care giver involved in these
activities? Has your child’s care giver achieved
accreditation or completed training that exceeds minimum
requirements?
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FINDING A PROGRAM
Northwest Connection Family
Resources
maintains a computerized listing of providers in Northwest Wisconsin and can help you find a program
in your area that meets your family's individual needs.
Call us at 1 800
733 KIDS or
submit an
Online Referral Form
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