How do I select good quality child care?

"Good" means many things to many people. Certainly one should consider both the needs of the child for safety, security, growth and stimulation as well as the parents' needs for location, hours, price and often the values of the caregiver. Parents seeking in-home care givers such as nannies often choose this route for the following reasons:

• They value and seek the one-on-one caregiving that a nanny provides
• Parents value care in a home setting, and desire to themselves determine their child's diet, activities, environment, etc.
• Parent job responsibilities preclude arranging their schedule around a daycenter or family day care provider's schedule.
• Child(ren) have special needs, either physical or emotional.
• Cost: families with multiples often find that nanny care is no more expensive and tremendously more convenient than day care centers.

A good resource for parents with questions about choosing childcare is the National Network for ChildCare.