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Choosing Quality Care – A Guide for Families

Choosing an early care and education program for your child is one of your most important decisions. As your child’s first and best teacher, you want what’s best for them while you’re away – a healthy, safe, and nurturing environment that will ensure they’re prepared for kindergarten and the rest of their educational journey. This guide helps walk you through the many factors you’ll want to consider.

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Our team of experts is here to assist you in every step of your journey. Our specialists can consult with you on which type of child care will best fit your needs, based on several factors, including your parenting philosophies, child’s age, and any unique needs your child may have.

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Your Guide to Child Care

Join us to learn more about what to look for in a child care program and how to make the best decision for your family.

What to Look for in an Infant Child Care Program

Finding Quality Child Care: Where do I start?

Choosing Child Care for Your Child with Special Needs

Quality Child Care

Selecting the right program for your family

We can help you get started down the road to making this important decision. As you move through the decision process, we offer support to help you understand what factors to consider when choosing quality child care, preschool, and school-age care.

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Type of Child Care

Programs can serve children in a number of environments, from large centers in a commercial setting to small groups in someone's home.

Types of Care

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Paths to QUALITY™ Rating System

Indiana’s voluntary quality rating and improvement system is known as Paths to QUALITY™. Programs participating in Paths to QUALITY™ meet specific quality standards within four different levels. Accredited programs meet the highest standards of care.

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Paying for Child Care

It shouldn’t be the only factor in your decision, but cost of care can be important in choosing your program. Many providers offer sliding scale fees, and there are several financial supports available to you, including CCDF, On My Way Pre-K and Head Start/Early Head Start.

Your Options

The best teachers teach from the heart, not from the book.

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Quality Matters

Factors to consider when choosing quality care

We know quality comes first in your search for quality child care, preschool, and school-age care. You want your child to have a safe, supportive and enriching environment, and programs like Indiana’s Paths to QUALITY™ system can help you understand what quality means. Additionally, you should consider other factors, including your child’s age and personality, where you live or work, program philosophies and cost in finding care.

High-quality child care programs can come in many shapes and sizes. Take a step back to think about what type of care will best fit your needs and the needs of your child.

Consider these characteristics:

Licensing

While many quality programs are unlicensed, licensing can be a great tool for narrowing down your search. A licensed program must meet requirements set by the state, including basic health and safety measures.

Licensing Regulations

Quality Rating

Indiana's quality rating and improvement system - Paths to QUALITY™ - is a voluntary program that shows programs who have gone above and beyond to meet quality standards.

Paths to QUALITY™

Group Sizes and Ratios

These factors can affect the quality of care for children in relation to safety, attention, and daily adult interactions. Take a moment to understand which group size and ratio works best for you.

Health and Safety

Child care programs are more likely to protect children from harm and illness if they consistently practice standards such as washing hands, disinfecting diaper changing stations, cleaning toys, and properly storing cleaning supplies and other poisonous materials.

Accreditation

Generally, accredited programs are those that meet the highest standards of care and exceed licensing regulations. Look for a displayed certificate that indicates a program has met this level of care. Paths to QUALITY™ level 4 programs have achieved national accreditation.

Caregiver Qualifications

Longevity of teaching staff contributes to higher-quality care and positive environments. A caregiver's education and professional development is also an important indicator of quality.

Inclusive Child Care Programs

In ‘inclusive’ programs, children with and without disabilities participate in the same routines and play activities. Inclusive providers learn to recognize each child’s strengths and needs and adapt routines and activities.

Narrowing Down Your List

Calling, interviewing, and choosing the right program

Once you have a list of programs that meet your initial child care search criteria, the next step is to narrow your search to find the best fit for your family.

Call Potential Programs

Additional research will help you determine which programs best meet your needs or if you might need to expand your search. Start by calling each program on your list. This will allow you to find the best match for your needs, check for openings, and verify pricing information.

Check Inspection Reports

Based on what you learned from the phone call, narrow your list based on your needs for child care. Then, check inspection reports for each of the programs still on your list. All regulated programs must follow specific rules set by the state of Indiana. Licensed Centers, Licensed Family Child Care Homes, and Unlicensed Registered Child Care Ministries have inspection and complaint information available online on Child Care Finder Indiana.

Visit Potential Programs

Visit in person, or tour virtually, with your short list of potential programs. During your visit, ask questions or observe. You also can download our Provider Checklist for full suggestions of what to look for during this visit.

Ask Yourself

During your first visit, use your senses to help answer the questions below. The answer to all the questions should be yes.

Are children being watched at all times, including while sleeping?
Are infants napping on their backs, in cribs, with no pillows or blankets?
Are caregivers warm, welcoming, nurturing, affectionate, patient, and good-natured? Do they pay individual attention to each child?
Do caregivers handle discipline in a calm, consistent way to encourage positive behavior?
Are children happily involved in daily activities and comfortable with the caregiver?
Are stairs and doorways protected with locked gates?
Is the outdoor play area a safe place for children to play? Is the equipment the right size and type for the children who use it? Is it surrounded by a fence at least 4-feet tall? Is the equipment placed on mulch, sand, or rubber matting?

Check References

Even if you feel you’ve found “the one” after your initial visit, it’s still important to call references.

Parents whose children are no longer enrolled can be especially useful, as they may be more candid. Parents whose children are currently in the provider’s care can speak best to the recent program strengths and challenges.

Ask for a number of names – six or seven is not too many. References may be difficult to reach, so it’s best to have more names than you need. This also allows you to reach as many parents as you need to feel comfortable, without needing to go back to the program to ask for more names.

Listen to what is said and what isn’t said. Silence and hesitations can speak volumes. Ask follow-up questions if a parent gives a confusing or disturbing answer.

Choose the Right Program

After you have researched the available child care programs, ask yourself:

Which program will best allow my child to be happy and grow?
Which caregiver can meet the special needs of my child?
Are the caregiver’s values compatible with my family’s values?
Is the child care available and affordable according to my family’s needs and resources?
Do I feel good about my decision?

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Provider Checklist for Families

Sometimes it's hard to know what to look for. We recommend you call each program on your list, visit the ones that are a good fit, and then collect references from other parents. Our checklist can make that process easier.

Interviewing Potential Programs

You can use this checklist to help guide you through the questions you should ask when speaking with potential programs.

Does your child care have an opening for my child for the dates I need to begin care?
What hours and days are you open?
How much does care cost?
Is financial assistance available? For example, do you accept CCDF vouchers or provide a sliding fee scale?
What age groups do you serve?
How many children are in your child care?
How many children would be in my child’s class, and/or how many children are there per adult?
Do you provide transportation?
Do you provide meals? If so, which ones? (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Snacks)? For infants, do you provide formula and/or diapers?
Do you have any quality ratings, including Paths to QUALITY™ and/or national accreditation?
How are you structuring program tours, including scheduling a visit or virtual tours?

Additional Considerations

Family Engagement Practices

Quality programs work closely with families to ensure they are informed about their child’s development and are
a welcomed partner in their care. They often have an open-door policy, which means family members are free to
come and go at any time. A program that provides written policies to include and engage families may be a sign
of true family partnership. Use this document to engage with your child care program.

Additional Considerations

Child Care Program Tours

When choosing an early learning program for your child, consider visiting your top three locations in person. It
will give you a feel for the program leadership and teaching team, help you visualize where you child will spend
their day and allow you to ask any remaining important questions in person. Learn more about what questions to ask a prospective program.

Tours During a Pandemic

Additional Considerations

Developmental Support

Every child — including yours — grows, learns and develops in a unique way. When a child’s development doesn’t
follow the typical path, families have many resources available to get support — and get it early — which is the
best time. Talk with your program about the supports they offer. In Central Indiana, families of children from birth to age three can find developmental supports through First Steps.

Developmental Milestones

Additional Considerations

Inclusive Child Care Programs

Federal law says that children with disabilities have a right to be educated in the least restrictive environment. Within the world of early childhood education, that means including children with disabilities in a child care setting with their same age, typically developing peers. For many children with special needs, being able to enjoy the experiences and relationships in a child care program isn’t out of reach, especially alongside specialized instruction and support, when needed.

Featured Resource

What’s Best for My Child

A strong relationship between you, your child, and your child care provider is key. Included in this document is a tool you can complete outlining your child’s strengths, challenges, and existing routines. Once complete, plan a time to discuss it with your child's teacher(s).

Stay connected with your child's teachers

Once your child begins in your chosen program, your ongoing engagement will be key to a successful partnership. You have many ways to bridge the time your child spends with a program and your home.

Stay Connected

Caregiver

Talk to your caregiver to resolve issues or concerns and keep informed about your child’s development.

Stay Connected

Your Child

Talk to your child about how their day went and get involved in their activities.

Stay Connected

Environment

Visit and observe your child in care at different times of the day.

Inspection Information

Families can review inspection reports and any validated complaints or enforcement actions for licensed and registered Indiana child care programs. To learn about past complaints for a specific program, visit Child Care Finder and search for a program. The program page will include information about any past complaints.

Child Care Finder

Abuse and neglect concerns

If you suspect a child is being abused or neglected, call Indiana’s Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline today at 1-800-800-5556. It is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. You do not have to be afraid anyone will find out who made the report because you can report abuse and neglect anonymously.

Have a concern about a program? Learn more about Indiana’s complaint process.

If you have a complaint and/or concern about a licensed or registered child care program, you can report it to the Brighter Futures Indiana Solution Center at 1-800-299-1627 or the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration at 1-877-511-1144.

Child Abuse and Neglect HotlineLearn More

Choosing Quality Care – A Guide for Families

We grow with you

Your Guide to Child Care

What to Look for in an Infant Child Care Program

Finding Quality Child Care: Where do I start?

Choosing Child Care for Your Child with Special Needs

Selecting the right program for your family

Type of Child Care

Paths to QUALITY™ Rating System

Paying for Child Care

Quality Matters

Factors to consider when choosing quality care

Consider these characteristics:

Licensing

Quality Rating

Group Sizes and Ratios

Health and Safety

Accreditation

Caregiver Qualifications

Inclusive Child Care Programs

Calling, interviewing, and choosing the right program

Call Potential Programs

Check Inspection Reports

Visit Potential Programs

Ask Yourself

Check References

Choose the Right Program

Provider Checklist for Families

Interviewing Potential Programs

Family Engagement Practices

Child Care Program Tours

Developmental Support

Inclusive Child Care Programs

What’s Best for My Child

Stay connected with your child's teachers

Caregiver

Your Child

Environment

Inspection Information

Abuse and neglect concerns

Have a concern about a program? Learn more about Indiana’s complaint process.

Learn more about choosing the right program for your family.

Pre-K: Which environment is best for your family?

What to Look for in an Infant Room

When to Change Child Care Providers

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