Finding Quality Early Childcare

Sarah Taylor Vanover has been working in the field of early childhood education for over fifteen years and has had the opportunity to be a teacher, a director, and a trainer for other early childhood educators. For the past several years she has focused her work and research on assessing quality early childhood programs for health and safety requirements and school readiness skills.

• Table of ContentsPrefaceWhy is it important to find quality childcare?What are the Benefits of Selecting High Quality Childcare?What Do I Need to Know about Childcare?Chapter 1: License, Accreditation, and PoliciesWhat Is Licensed Child Care?What Does a License Require?What is an Accreditation?How Does a Childcare Program Become Accredited?Early Childhood Accrediting BodiesCenter PoliciesChapter 2: Models of LearningChild-Centered vs. Teacher-CenteredStyles of Learning Doing Your ResearchChapter 3: Classroom PlacementMoving Children by Age MilestonesYear-long Classroom PlacementMulti-Age Classroom PlacementAdditional QuestionsChapter 4: Health and Safety StandardsRatiosSupervisionReducing InjuryReducing the Spread of IllnessHealthy MealsSafe SleepSmoke-Free CampusChapter 5: Quality Early Childhood EducatorsQuality Early Childhood TeachersQuality AdministratorsTeacher TurnoverDoes the Program Support the Staff?Chapter 6: Quality Curriculum & the Developmentally Appropriate EnvironmentAreas of ContentQuality CurriculumLanguage-Rich EnvironmentDevelopmentally-AppropriateThe Classroom EnvironmentChapter 7: Child Care for Children with Special NeedsStaff Experience Support Services Adaptations to the Environment Adaptations to the CurriculumSchedulesPoliciesMedication and AllergiesChapter 8: Infant ChildcareBasic Care Compared to Infant CurriculumSafe SleepFeedingContinuity of Care Compared to Rooms by AgeLanguage-Rich EnvironmentParent Teacher CommunicationChapter 9: The Kindergarten ControversyIs Your Child Ready for Kindergarten?School Readiness SkillsKindergarten ExpectationsThe Recommendation of the Preschool TeacherTransitional KindergartenMaking the Final DecisionAppendix 1: VocabularyAppendix 2: ResourcesAppendix 3: Questions for Touring a Childcare FacilityAbout the Author

Choosing a childcare program can be a stressful experience for new parents, and it is essential to choose a program that meets the child’s needs and instills confidence in the parent. In this practical guide, Vanover, an experienced early-childhood educator and researcher, introduces parents to the elements of quality early childcare and provides guidance for selecting the right program. The majority of the book focuses on various characteristics of programs, such as licensing and accreditation, curriculum and activities, attention to children’s health and safety, and teachers and administrators. There are more specific topics, such as childcare for infants, the transition from preschool to kindergarten, and childcare for children with special needs such as developmental delays or health problems. Each chapter ends with a helpful series of questions that parents should ask when touring facilities in order to gather the information they need to make the best decision. The information is straightforward and clearly presented and gives parents a good understanding of both general theory and practical application of early-childhood education, allowing them to make an informed choice for their children.