Nowadays, working mothers make up a huge percentage of the labor force in the United States and around the world. We are CEOs, C-suite executives, entrepreneurs, business owners, and household names.
For us to continue excelling in our careers and running the world, we need safe, reliable childcare. What does that look like? More importantly, what does that not look like? Read on to learn more about the red flags we should be on the lookout for when searching for daycares.
Red flags tell us about daycare quality and safety
When we’re on the hunt for good, reliable childcare, quality is incredibly important. Quality isn’t judged by one single metric, but rather on a varying set of characteristics. That includes things like teacher engagement and interactions, facility safety, and state licensure and accreditation.
One of the things you’ll hear over and over again is that the experiences in the first five years of a child’s life set the foundation for the rest of their lives. Daycare quality matters because that’s where our kids will spend a lot of time in these first five years. It makes sense then, that quality is a significant predictor of our children’s success in school and adulthood.
Finding good childcare not only affects our children; it also affects us. When our kids are enrolled in quality daycare, we are better supported and can dedicate meaningful time to our careers and our families.
As much as we want to find a high-quality daycare, we want to avoid the low-quality ones. Paying attention to red flags helps us do that because they are a good indicator of daycare quality.
Red flags to look out for when searching for daycares
Bad reviews or complaints that go unaddressed
The first place I usually go to check out reviews is Google or Yelp. Happy parents are more likely to leave reviews than unhappy parents (especially if their children are still enrolled there), so if you see multiple bad reviews, it can mean something isn’t quite right. This is especially true if the negative reviews aren’t even addressed by a daycare representative.
Noncompliance or inspection violations
It’s important to check state inspection reports to make sure the daycare is in compliance. You can usually see a history of inspection results since the facility’s opening. The state will immediately shut down a daycare if severe violations occur, but there will likely be signs of noncompliance or other violations before that happens. Carefully assess inspection reports to be aware of these potential red flags.
Serious injuries or fatalities
We all know kids get injured sometimes. But if injuries – especially serious ones – are consistently happening at a daycare, it might be a sign of poor supervision or safety violations. While daycares are required to report serious injuries to the state and to the injured child’s parents, they may not always be transparent with other parents about the incident. To find detailed information, you’ll need to investigate your state’s inspection reports. In the very worst case scenario, the loss of a child’s life is the biggest red flag you could possibly think of.
Disengaged or uninterested teachers
Teacher engagement, warmth, and responsiveness is a big indicator of a good, high-quality daycare. If you notice during your tours or in reviews that the teachers are consistently on their phones, disengaged, or appear unresponsive to children’ s needs, this is not a good sign.
Unhappy or scared children
You can tell a lot about a daycare by how the kids engage with their teachers. It’s tough to get a good read on this from a short tour of the facility, but you will probably notice if the children all seem unhappy, unnaturally timid, or scared.
Safety and cleanliness concerns
Things like open electrical sockets, sharp uncovered edges on furniture, lots of water or spills on the floor, a dirty environment, unsecured drawers or cabinets, inappropriate food or drink left out within reach of children, and broken equipment are red flags indicating inadequate safety and cleaning protocols.
Unsafe class ratios
When touring daycares, take note of what the class ratios are. What is the ratio of children to teachers in each class? This is state-determined, but in Maryland the ratio is usually 3 infants to 1 teacher, 6 toddlers to 1 teachers, and 10 preschoolers to 1 teacher. Anything more than that poses a safety risk to the children because they don’t have adequate supervision.
High turnover
You probably won’t get a direct response if you ask what the turnover rate is for a classroom or daycare facility, but you can find out indirectly by asking how long the teachers and staff members have been there. High turnover creates an unstable environment for children, who thrive on secure attachment and routine in the early years.
Poor or inconsistent communication
Most daycares should have some way for you to communicate with teachers about your child throughout the day. That could be via a live monitoring camera, a secure app, or some other communication method. If a daycare does not have a consistent and established method of communicating with and updating you about your child, that’s a red flag to pay attention to. Also, take note if the directors or administrators are hard to get a hold of.
No background check information
All licensed childcare providers should have background checks done before working with children. You can’t see detailed information about someone’s background check, but if a daycare’s director or primary operator cannot tell you if providers have had or passed a background check, that’s a red flag.
Where to find red flags
We can find information on red flags in a variety of ways. Don’t go looking for bad stuff, but be aware and cognizant when you are searching for and touring daycares.
Online reviews
When using a search engine like Google or Care.com, parent reviews can be a reliable source of information. One negative review isn’t enough to make a complete determination, but multiple negative reviews should be paid attention to.
Local and online parenting groups
Local groups on social media and other online platforms can give you real-life advice from other moms about their experiences. Some parents may be hesitant to post reviews of a daycare if their children are still enrolled there, but platforms like Reddit allow users to post somewhat anonymously, making it easier to get the unfiltered scoop.
State inspection reports
Always check your state’s official inspection reports if they are available – they will give you valuable insight into how a specific facility is run, whether they follow proper procedures, official complaints, severe injuries, and compliance information. Daycare staff will probably not disclose those things to you when you go on tours.
Daycare tours
Going on tours is a must if you truly want to get a feel of what a daycare is like. The tour is also where you’ll be able to observe a lot of red flags – if they exist – with regards to safety and the behavior of children and teachers.
Finding a good daycare isn’t easy, but it’s important if we want to be able to successfully balance our careers and the demands of motherhood. We need that support to be able to have peace of mind that our children are safe and happy. Being aware of and identifying red flags when searching for daycares can help us choose the best quality facility for our kids and our families.
Sources
“9 Red Flags to Watch out for on Your Daycare Tour.” Babylist, www.babylist.com/hello-baby/daycare-tour.
Care.com Editors. “8 Daycare Red Flags Every Parent Should Know.” Care.com Resources, 18 Mar. 2022, www.care.com/c/8-signs-of-a-bad-day-care-center/.
- Struggling To Find Good Child Care? Here’s Why.
Have you been spending weeks researching, contacting, and reviewing child care facilities, only to get placed on years-long waitlists with no end in sight? Maybe you got lucky and found a spot somewhere,… Read more: Struggling To Find Good Child Care? Here’s Why. - Enrichment Programs And Electives: Do They Matter When Searching For Child Care?
When searching for a daycare or preschool, you may have noticed that some facilities offer enrichment activities or electives in addition to their standard curriculum. Enrichment activities are often used as a selling… Read more: Enrichment Programs And Electives: Do They Matter When Searching For Child Care? - Why It’s Important To Check Teacher Qualifications When Searching For Preschool
One of the most important things parents need to consider when searching for preschool programs is teacher qualifications. Why do these matter? Because the quality of care our kids receive is directly related… Read more: Why It’s Important To Check Teacher Qualifications When Searching For Preschool - 7 Perfectly Valid Reasons To Switch Childcare Providers
Hey mama. If you’re thinking about switching daycare providers but you’re wondering if you’re “overthinking” things, this one’s for you. Parents switch daycares for many reasons. Some of them are big no-brainers –… Read more: 7 Perfectly Valid Reasons To Switch Childcare Providers - 5 Major Reasons To Switch Childcare Providers
Choosing and finding the right childcare provider for our kids is never an easy process. We research and read and do our due diligence, but we never really know what we’re getting into… Read more: 5 Major Reasons To Switch Childcare Providers - Daycare, Nursery, Preschool, and Pre-K: Understanding The Difference
If you’ve been looking into childcare and feel a little confused by all the terminology you’re coming across, don’t worry, I used to feel the same way. The terms used to describe various… Read more: Daycare, Nursery, Preschool, and Pre-K: Understanding The Difference - Common Early Education Philosophies And Why They Matter
Have you recently started your search for childcare programs (either daycare or preschool) and come across phrases like “Montessori,” “Reggio Emilia,” or “High Scope?” You might not be paying that much attention (I… Read more: Common Early Education Philosophies And Why They Matter