Find Child Care Instructions

What are the steps to choosing quality childcare?

Find the list of centers that meet your needs

Interview the sites to verify information

Visit centers

Verify license and inspection reports

Sign a contract before service begins

1. Search LocateKidCare Database.
Use our searchable database form to find a list of childcare centers that meet your needs.

2. Interview.
Call the centers that best fit your needs. Verify the information listed on the website.

Sample Telephone Questions

What is your child to provider ratio?

Are the groups small enough to provide one-on-one attention to each child during the day?

Do you serve meals or do I need to bring food for my child?

When I have time, may I stay and watch my child play?

What steps do you use to ensure a clean environment?

What steps do you put in place to ensure the security of my child?

3. Visit
Visit at least 3 programs. Take your child with you and observe the facility, the caregiver, and the other children. Parent Guide to Choosing Health Care PDF.

Look at the Area

Does it look clean and safe for every age child there? For example, is there a crib for each infant?

Is there enough space inside and out so all the children can have room to play?

Do the toys and materials support different types of play, such as imaginative play, building projects, and arts and crafts?

Is there a time and place for both quiet and active play?

Ask to see the provider's license.

Is the latest inspection report posted for review?

Look at the Caregiver

Does the caregiver use a calm voice and talk to the children on their level?

Are you comfortable with the way the caregiver disciplines the children? Does the caregiver praise accomplishments and help resolve conflicts?

Does the caregiver seem to enjoy and respect the children?

If your child is an infant, does the caregiver connect with your baby by gently holding and talking to the baby? Will the baby get attention when she/he is not crying?

Look at the Children

Are the children doing activities that suit their age and stage of development? Activities that are too hard will be discouraging, but children learn from new activities that are interesting and a little bit challenging.

Are they given a chance to make choices about activities that interest them?

Do the children have a daily schedule which allows for indoor and outdoor play, nap time if appropriate, and time for both individual play and group activities?

Are the infants held and talked to in a reassuring way that will help them learn to trust that their needs will be met?

4. Ask.
Ask the caregiver if you may talk with other parents who use that home or center.

Questions for Other Parents

What do you like most about this childcare?

What are some of the things that you don't like?

If you had to find care again, would your child still go there?

5. Verify
Contact the licensing agency to verify the status of the centers license and ask for the inspection report for the last 2 years.

Child Care Licensing Agency
Division of Regulation & Family Service
Bureau of Regulation and Licensing
1 West Wilson Street Room 534
P.O. Box 8916
Madison, WI 53708-8916
Phone: 608-266-9314
Fax: 608-267-7252
Find your local contact by county

6. Act
Sign your child up for services, and start building your relationship with the caregivers.

Sign a contract before you start care. These are the items to include in your contract:
     1. The hours the program opens and closes.
     2. The days the program will be closed for holidays and vacation.
     3. The things you will need to bring to the program.

The best way to feel comfortable in a new program is to get involved. Attend parent meetings, help with arts and crafts projects, or bring in special snacks.

If you are pleased with the care your child receives, tell the provider! Good parent/provider communication benefits your child and is the key to a healthy relationship. Nominate an outstanding care provider to LocateKidCare.com. If chosen we will feature them on our webpage! Email submissions to contact@locatekidcare.com.