For hardworking parents who don't have a willing grandparent nearby, a private daycare center may be the only option for childcare. When it comes to choosing the right childcare facility, cost might be the first thing on your mind. Once you have budgeted a certain amount for a daycare, your next goal is to identify the best possible facility in your price range.
Safety is always priority. Finding a safe daycare requires quite a bit of effort by parents. While there are a dozen things to consider and look into, we have learned, throughout our time in handling daycare injuries in Texas, that there are two very important things to look into when researching daycares for your child.
Of all of the important things to consider, start with these two very important qualities when looking at which daycare is best for your child:
1. The child-to-caregiver ratio. While Texas law sets minimum standards for caregiver ratios, it's always preferable to have more caregivers caring for fewer children. The simple truth is that the minimum standard required by the state of Texas is not good enough. Not only is it not good enough, but it is also one of the most often violated Texas laws by childcare facilities. Your goal should be to find a daycare that goes above and beyond the minimum standards on the child-to-caregiver ratios in Texas.
2. The condition of building and equipment. To retain a state license to operate a daycare center, the owner or director will have to ensure that the building and grounds meet certain requirements. As you can imagine, inspections and repairs of violations do not always happen as they should. Take a complete tour of any daycare center you are considering. Look for unsafe conditions, particularly on the playground where injuries often happen. If it doesn’t look safe to you, it probably isn't.
Ask questions, visit the center, and do your research!
While daycare centers must adhere to state requirements, all too often we see facilities take shortcuts and ignore regulations, resulting in injuries. It is worth taking the time to visit a potential daycare, asking questions about how many caregivers or teachers and children they have, and doing your research to make sure they live up to those standards.
Often, your best resource for a good daycare will be a friend or neighbor who has had a positive experience with a particular place. However, even the best (and most expensive) daycares can fall below the standards. For more tips on finding a safe daycare, download our free guides or give us a call to talk about your daycare options. Our team offers free guidance on how to search for the best daycare for your child because we value safety and health in our communities.
