Day-care checklist

Economic realities and the spiralling cost of living have resulted in most South African households needing a dual income to survive. Most of us will eventually face the dilemma of finding proper day-care for our children.
If there’s no willing retired granny or unemployed aunt standing by, you’ll be checking out the local daycare facilities.


Ask the daycare manager

• What does the daily programme look like?
• Is the person looking after the children a trained caregiver?
• Who will stand in for this person if she gets ill?
• Are there other adults on the premises during the day who are not involved with the running of the day-care centre?
• How many children are catered for at the day-care centre?
• Who decides on the menus and their nutritional value?
• Does the caregiver have any first aid training?
• What will happen if there is a crisis of any sort?
• Are parents welcome to drop in any time?
• What would the caregiver do if your one-year-old drew on the wall?
• What is the policy if your baby is sick?
• Are the other children vaccinated against diseases such as polio and smallpox?
• What stimulating educational activities are there for the children?
• Are the fees payable per month or per term?
• What are the opening and closing times?
• How much will parents have to pay extra if they are late in fetching their children?
• How safe is the outdoor playing area and what sort of supervision is there when children are playing outside?
• Are any active steps taken to ensure that no bullying takes place?
• What happens when it rains?
• What sort of security is there on the perimeter of the property?
• What is the procedure if someone else needs to drop off or collect the child?

Feel free to go with your child to a few places and see where he or she feels most at home. After all, it is not you who will spend 40 hours a week there!