Daycare Interview Questions

kw42775

Good Morning Ladies!!  I just searched this topic and didn't find anything on our board but sorry if this has been asked before. 

 

DH and I are going to look at three daycares this afternoon.  What are some good questions that I should ask?  TIA.

bethughknee

I'm a FTM so it's possible I didn't ask all the right ones but I am very confident in the center H & I chose and my next door neighbor has had her kids in there for years and has always been happy.

The things I really wanted to know: (daycare CENTER)
1. Do you accept glass bottles? (I'm going glass and crocheting cozies to protect them)
2. Does breast milk need to be already in bottles or are bags okay?
3. How early do you post your closure days for the following year?
4. What's your inclement weather policy?
5. What's your policy if my kid is on meds for something?
6. Can I pop in unannounced?
7. Do I get a daily report?
8. How often does a major clean happen? (My center basically sterilizes the whole place every weekend. A cleaning crew is also in every night.)

In-home:
1. Do you have a back-up if you're sick?
2. How much notice do you give for vacation days? If you take a vacation day without giving me the notice you specified in our contract, do I still have to pay?
3. Where do newborns nap? (this was my biggest reason for going with a center)
And then some of the same questions above about bottles and milk storage.

The centers answered almost all my questions without my even asking but I had to pull answers out of in-home places.

wedbliss5

The biggest suggestion I have is to go with your gut as well - if it doesn't feel good or you don't feel right about the staff, then go elsewhere.  No matter what the policies and laws are, if the staff doesn't care they won't follow it - or if the really care, they'll go above and beyond. 

Another thing that is important is how long the staff has been then - the director, assistant, and teachers.  If there is a lot of turn over, who knows how things will change in the next few months plus its harder to know how invested they are.  However, if you have a staff that has all been there for several years, then chances are its a more stable environment.

kw42775

Thank you so much for the helpful pointers/questions!