What you look for or consider to determine if the child care center is run smoothy and children are engaged?

Are you concern with the care of the learning community that your child or children will be in... Then may I suggest you make a plan based on addressing the special needs of your child? This is referred to as an ecological assessment... used by many educators in assessing the environment of the school and other institutions... I understand that parents of non special needs children care for their children as special needs parents also do... therefore, when most special needs parents search for a care facility for their child or children they consider some of the following questions... May I suggest the same list in determining the center for your child’s or children’s care...

Look at the environment of the day care center and consider the following:
• In what environment home, classroom does the child or children spend their time?
• How much does each child spend in the environment?
• Who cares for and interacts with the child or children in those environments?
Then you can consider the physical measurements and organizer of environment:
• What materials and toys are in each environment?
• How are those toys and materials organized and placed about the room?
• Can the child space access all areas and materials and if so why?
• How much space is available and how many children and adults are in that space?
• What adaptations of the equipment and materials are needed? ( if the child have special challenges)
Temporal space and organization of routines:
• What is the child’s typical daily schedule? (awakening and snooze time)
• How are activities within the classroom separated?
• How long do activities last?
• What routines (e.g. meals, toileting) happen every day?
Adult’s roles in activities:
• For each part of the day, what do adults do in the relation to the child?
• When do adults observe children, interact with them, and take care of organizational tasks; prepared meals
• When, if ever do adults lead activities?
• How do adults interact with children e.g. direct actions with children
• What types of verbal interactions (e.g. questions, commands, comments) do adults use and when?
Activity Structures:
• How is each activity in the classroom organized?
• How does the child get into an out of each activity?
• How does the child know what is expected in each activity?
• What is the child expected to do in each activity?
• How are expectations communicated to the child?

This maybe considered too much... but isn’t your child or children worth the attention... the information/source I am sharing with you is from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)... hope this helps...

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Originally Posted by maryam111

what you look for or consider to determine if the child care center is run smoothy and children are engaged?

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The best thing to do is go there unexpected and check out the place. When my child was in an inhome daycare I just felt something wasn't right so I started just showing up at different times and found my child was getting abused. The doctor said my child's fingers were either frost biten or burned. Well, it was summer so I think they were burned. She had blisters on all her fingers on one hand and the caregiver could not explain. There was other questionable things and I pull my child out.

Wow... how sad... you have done the right thing by pulling your child out.. question what happened to the care provider and the care center..

The pediatrian wanted me to file charges on her. But since she was unlicensed it would be harder to do. She also said she heard my daughter screaming in the other room and said she must of pinched it in a toy but the pediatrian said if that was true than it would have been 1 or 2 fingers, not all of them on her hand. My friend and I just pulled our kids, then she was just left with her own. My friends mother also, was so mad at us and didn't want us to report it. Which I wish I would have never listened to her. She deserved punishment for what she did. When I see the lady around I can hardly speak to her. The worse part about it all, is she was one of my friends from childhood and I thought I could trust her with my child.

License or not.. that person hurt you... that person hurt your child... she goes to jail... mother is not right ( on this issue)... I know it will take a lot of time... that you may have to fight this... but this woman has liability insurance on her home does she not? Some one hurt themselves on the property that is insured... handle your business... do not leave this person free to hurt another child without consequences...