Top 6 Questions to Ask a Fort Worth Daycare Center Before Enrolling Your Child

1. What Are the Child-to-Caregiver Ratios for Each Class?

Classroom ratios at a daycare center in Fort Worth protect your child from being in a room with an overwhelming number of children for one caregiver to handle. This is one of our top questions because it sheds light on how closely the caregivers supervise the children they are responsible for. In our experience advocating for families, a lack of supervision is almost always the root cause of injuries at daycare centers.

2. How Long Do Caregivers Typically Stay at This Center?

Stability is important for little ones, and that includes a consistent team of caregivers at a daycare center in Fort Worth. In addition, the response to this question can be telling about the center’s operations and its hiring practices. Centers with high staff turnover could be a red flag that the daycare center is short-staffed and may not take the time to replace employees with qualified caregivers who know the minimum standards and how to properly care for children.

3. How Are Discipline and Behavioral Issues Managed?

We have received an uptick in calls about caregivers physically and psychologically harming children by using inappropriate and unapproved discipline methods that violate the minimum standards. The minimum standards do not allow caregivers to use any form of punishment tactics that hit, shame, threaten, or intimidate a child. Asking a daycare center in Fort Worth about this will reveal if the caregivers are properly trained in how to respond when little ones act out by redirecting their behavior in a positive manner. In instances where a timeout is necessary, a child is not allowed to be isolated from their peers.

4. What Are the Emergency Procedures?

In the event of an emergency, it is vital that a daycare center and its caregivers understand emergency protocols. A quick and appropriate response can mean the difference between life and death for a child in the event of a severe allergic reaction or a serious fall that causes a child’s brain or spinal cord injury. Find out if caregivers are trained to properly use an EpiPen, what instances they contact emergency medical services and Fort Worth Police, and how frequently caregivers participate in ongoing training. Also, check to see how frequently the daycare center updates its emergency contact information for each child, where the information is stored, and if caregivers can easily access that information.

5. How Is Communication with Parents Handled?

Find out how the daycare center in Fort Worth allows you to stay in contact with the caregivers or teachers who are caring for your child. Some daycare centers have apps that provide direct contact with caregivers and updates on your child throughout the day. A clear communication policy means that the daycare is transparent with parents and isn’t hiding anything.

6. Are There Security Cameras in Classrooms?

While daycare centers are not required to have security cameras in classrooms, we recommend enrolling your child in a center that uses them. Some cameras provide real-time streaming capabilities for parents to virtually check in on little ones throughout the day, enabling you to also make sure caregivers are providing your child with a safe and nurturing environment. The cameras also provide a layer of protection, as the caregivers know they are being monitored and recorded and are more likely to follow the minimum standards. (Daycare directors should be sure to monitor the footage frequently.) If something happens to your child at a daycare center in Fort Worth, security cameras can easily reveal the truth about what happened.

Once you are satisfied with a daycare center’s response to the questions posed and have enrolled your child, we encourage you to visit the Fort Worth daycare center unannounced. This is one way you can help ensure your child is safe and receiving the proper care after making the big decision to place them there.

More Free Resources to Find a Safe Daycare Center in Fort Worth

We urge Fort Worth parents to check out more of the free resources our experienced legal team created to evaluate and find a safe daycare center in the community:

• Download: 10 Tips for Finding a Safe Daycare Center Guide
• Watch: Finding a Safe Daycare Video Series
• Should Parents Trust Daycare Center Ratings?

Contact The Button Law Firm If Your Child Was Harmed at a Daycare Center in Fort Worth

If your child was harmed or injured at a daycare center in Fort Worth, Texas, contact our experienced daycare injury lawyers at The Button Law Firm. We are ready to listen, fight for your family, and help your family move forward. Our lawyers at The Button Law Firm are recognized on the prestigious Texas Super Lawyers list, and we can help guide you after a traumatizing incident involving your child. We work on contingency, meaning we don’t charge you or collect any upfront fees to get started on your case. Call us at 214-699-4409, email us at [email protected], or fill out a contact form for a free case evaluation.