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Whether it’s a crèche, day care centre or kindergarten, finding suitable childcare is often a major challenge for parents. In this blog post, we would like to discuss the importance of quality childcare and show what benefits a good crèche can have for the child’s development.
Why is it important to find a day care centre that suits your child?
Every child has individual needs and interests. A day care centre that takes into account the child’s personality and needs, as well as responding to the interests of the individual child, will contribute significantly to the child feeling seen and thus comfortable and safe in the formative, early years. In this way, a child can develop healthily and unfold its abilities and talents.
How to choose a suitable crèche place for your child.
The decision for childcare is not always easy for parents. There are many factors to consider when making a choice, such as the educational concept and the orientation. But the qualifications of the staff also play a major role, as do the location and accessibility of the facility and, last but not least, the hours of care. We have taken a closer look at a few of these criteria to support you in your personal decision-making process.
- Think about what kind of day care centre might be best for your child. Do you want a public or private facility? Should it be a crèche with a specific pedagogical orientation? Should it be an open or closed concept?
- Visit the daycare centres that are suitable for you in person. Pay attention to the atmosphere, how the rooms are designed and whether there is enough space and toys for the children. First impressions count.
- Talk to other parents who have or had their children at the day care centre. Ask for their experiences and opinions.
- Consider the opening hours and childcare options not only in terms of today, but also for the future. You may want to change careers later or start working again.
- Make your choice with both your head and your heart. Consider which day care centre best suits your child’s needs and which one appeals most to you as a parent.
Legal frameworks ensure that childcare facilities are of a good standard, but there are still many differences between individual facilities. To make your decision easier, we have summarised all the factors that play a role in the decision.
Checklist: What factors should you consider when choosing the right crèche place?
The following checklist will help you to better assess the framework conditions of the day care centre or kindergarten:
- Pedagogical orientation: Consider which pedagogical orientation is best suited for your child and whether the day care centre follows this orientation. Have the educational concept explained to you and how it is implemented in everyday life. In Bavaria, the basis should be the Bavarian Education and Training Plan.
- Qualification of the staff: Find out about the qualifications and experience of the educators in the day care centre. What training do the educators have, what languages do they speak?
- The day-care centre management: Is the day-care centre management assigned to a group or can they do their job in its entirety? If the management is “detached”, they can often act much better and also be available to parents as a contact person.
- The provider of the facility: Is the facility private, community, municipal or church-run? Is the facility a chain or individually run? What values are taught, what is the basic idea of the day care centre? Check whether your family’s values coincide with those of the day care centre.
- Group size: Pay attention to the size of the groups in the day care centre and whether there are enough staff to take care of them. Smaller groups are always better equipped to take care of your child individually.
- Care key: In addition to the size of the group, the number of caregivers is an important factor in the selection process. Ask about the childcare ratio and to what extent this can be implemented.
- Premises: Take a look at the day care centre’s rooms and see if they are designed in a child-friendly way, radiate a warm atmosphere and offer enough space for the children. Are there large open spaces inside and outside for the children to play?
- Are there retreat corners and quiet areas? Are there specific rooms for gymnastics, painting, etc.?
- Location and accessibility: Consider whether the location and accessibility of the day care centre is practical for you.
- Consider that the day care centre may also be on your way or near your place of work.
- Opening hours and childcare facilities: Also consider the Kita’s opening hours and care services and whether they fit in with your work and family life.
- Special features and concept: Also consider the special features of the respective day care centre, such as special pedagogical concepts, multilingualism or focal points in certain areas.
- Settling in: It is important that your child is well integrated into the new environment. There should be an individual settling-in period, close cooperation with the staff and a gradual separation of the parents. Ask how the educational partnership is practised in the facility.
- Food and nutrition: Make sure that the day care centre offers a balanced and varied diet, taking into account the individual needs and allergies of the children.
Services and benefits: What does the Kita offer beyond just childcare? Do you have to make additional appointments for hobbies or music lessons in the afternoon or is this integrated into the day care centre’s services? Is there a parent counselling service? - Independent evaluations: Does the day care centre have awards or certifications? Recommendations on the internet can also provide information.
- What is being done for the team in the facility to retain and / or recruit staff?
Take into account differences in quality and price between different day care centres.
When looking for the right Kita, the quality of the facility should be considered first and foremost. Not only the development of the child should be taken into account, but also the degree of support that the families receive from the facility. Be it through low closing times and long opening hours, support in educational issues or additional offers and support opportunities for the children within the Kita, as well as the question of cooperation with practices, schools and other institutions whose external offers support and promote the children’s development. Be sure to include these points in your decision.
What do you do if you don’t get a place at a day nursery?
If you don’t get a place in a crèche, there are several options you can consider. One option is to get on the waiting list of the day care centre you want and regularly inquire about available places. Another option is to look for other daycare centres in the area and apply there.
There are also childminders who offer care for children. Another option is to join forces with other parents and organise private childcare. It is important to look for childcare early on and consider different options to find a suitable solution.
Conclusion
A day care centre is like a second family for the child and the teachers, the educators are important caregivers. The child should feel comfortable and secure, be taught important values and gain experience. Parents should therefore take enough time to visit different day-care centres and talk to the management, teachers and educators. Recommendations from other parents or professionals can also be helpful.