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What is “the best” child care? The best child care promotes a child’s healthy development in a safe, nurturing environment, where parents are involved and caregivers receive ongoing training and support.

A caregiver with training in child development is the main ingredient in quality child care. To keep the most qualified people in the field, parents should expect a child care provider to be paid commensurate with their education and training.

The best child care environments have plenty of space and equipment for learning, for indoor and outdoor activities, and for rest.

The best family child care providers operate as small businesses and follow state regulations.

The best child care centers have enough qualified staff for your child to receive quality individual attention. They offer their staff competitive wages and benefits, as well as continuing education. They should be state-certified, meeting state health and safety requirements, and carry insurance.

Family child care is child care offered in the home of the caregiver. Oregon law requires only that they be registered with the state Child Care Division if the caregiver cares for more than three children, or for children from more than one family. Family child care operations may care for up to 10 children, but only six may be younger than 6 years of age, and only two younger than 2 years of age. Family homes are not inspected by the state.

What are child care centers? These are full- or part-time programs, certified as passing state health and safety inspections, and as maintaining specific ratios of staff to children. The staff is also checked for prior criminal and child abuse records.

You can call the Oregon State Child Care Division toll-free at (800) 556-6616 to check on a child care center’s certification status.

What sorts of things should you look for when you visit a child care site?

The caregiver should be interested in your child and in the child’s needs, routines, likes and dislikes; be warm and responsive to children; talk to each child calmly and respectfully with eye contact; and appear organized, relaxed, calm and emotionally engaged.

The children should appear happy, relaxed and involved in activities appropriate for their age. They should appear to feel safe and secure, and should be receiving lots of individual attention.

The kitchen, bathrooms and indoor and outdoor play areas should be safe and clean. There should be plenty of books, toys, art supplies and indoor-outdoor activities.

Above all else, trust your instinct! It is usually right.

For more information on finding good child care, and on assistance programs and tax credits for child care, contact the Oregon State Child Care Division or Lane Community College’s Child Care Resource & Referral Service for Lane County at 726-3954.

Dr. Todd Huffman has practiced pediatric medicine in the community for 12 years and is affiliated with McKenzie-­Willamette Medical Center.

Questions for potential child care providers

Are you certified in first aid and CPR?

Do you have training or prior experience in child development, with references?

Are you registered or certified with the state? Can you provide proof?

If it is a child care center, what is the staff turnover rate?

How many children are there, and what are their ages?

How many adults are there, and what is the adult-to-child ratio?

Who else will have contact with my child when they are in your care?

What hours are you open?

What are your fees, and do they include such things as meals, diapers and field trips?

When are fees due?

How will you communicate with me about my child’s developmental progress, discipline, activities and nutrition?

Do you have an open-door policy so that I can visit anytime before or after enrolling?

What would a typical day be like for my child?

Can you describe the typical mealtime/snack time routine?

Do the children watch TV? If so, what kind of programs?

Do you provide activities off-site (such as field trips)? How are the children transported? Do you have car seats for each child?

Can you describe your approaches to discipline? To toilet training?

How do you soothe a child who is crying or upset?

How do you ensure that each child receives individual attention?

What happens when my child becomes ill? What if the caregiver becomes ill?

How do you ensure healthy hygiene practices and the control of infections?

Do you keep immunization and health records for all the children?