Parents want a dependable, healthy and safe environment for their children when they are not in their care.  There are many childcare facilities that offer a great program for your child, and they even provide the early childhood educational needs for your children. Find names and locations of childcare centres in your area.  View their websites and compare childcare costs for each, then make a decision on the ones you think will work for you or fit your schedule.

There are many ways to pay for these high childcare costs. There are sources that you may not have thought about, but they help to relieve some of that strain off of your finances. You can prepare early on by putting away money in an account specifically set aside for childcare before you begin your new job. 

Sometimes your employer will have flexible spending accounts that allow you to direct a portion of your paycheck into that account for childcare expenses. Using this account also saves you money, as this account is not considered taxable income.  You can set aside from $3-$6 thousand a year by the number of dependents you have in childcare.

Once you have decided that your child will be attending a childcare centre, choose the right option for your childcare cost. The big decision comes on what services you will receive for the childcare cost charged. Make sure that your list of criteria are met or exceeded and observe your child on the visits to see how well they fit in or adjust to the caregivers.

There are other sources for funding childcare costs.  Some states provide childcare costs assistance for single mothers and households whose income is low. Others that have a state-run lottery provide free childcare for pre-school children.  If luck is on your side, and you live in one of those states, your childcare cost will actually go away once your child is about four years old.

You first must decide what exactly you want, convenient to home or work, the size of the facility and the size of the group your child may be assigned.  Sometimes it is better to choose a location close to your home or other family members should an emergency arises, you can easily get someone to pick up your child if you are not be available.

Ask family members, friends and others in the neighborhood about those potential sites that you have in mind. Check for accreditation if your child is nearing time to attend the neighborhood schools, as the early childcare centre should be following that curriculum to prepare your child for regular school.

Begin your search by going online on the Internet or look in your community yellow pages.  View the various locations, then plan to make visits to each that are on your list. Decide the length of time your child will be attending the early childcare centre.  Go for a regular visit and go for observed visits when you have decided on the location you want to use. Have questions prepared for your visit and sometimes just following your gut feelings will help you make your decision.  Prepare your child for this major change by allowing him or her to get accustomed to being away from home. Observe the interactions between your child and other children and the staff. Once all of your research and visits are complete, pull out the notes and make the comparisons.

Make sure that the early childcare centre you chose meets your schedule and provides the necessary care, comfort. and support you and your child’s needs.  Also, make sure that it fits into your budget, that the curriculum is the one you want, child to adult ratio is adequate and comfort needs are met.

You will be pleased, after doing all of this work, if your early childcare centre is a warm, clean, and safe environment.  You will also want to have experienced and enthusiastic staff that will make your child feel as if he or she was at home. There is no harm in asking the centre for references.

Most parents try to keep their children at home until they are at least 3-3 ½ years old and then introduce them to daycare centres.  You will want to decide what is best for your child and good for the parents, as well as worked into the budget. You may decide that you want your child to get acclimated to this new environment, so try 1-2 days per week to start mixing time in care with time at home.

Once you decide that you are going to place your child in a daycare centre, do your homework.  If the daycare centres in your neighborhood have an Internet website, this cuts your research to nearly half.  Some daycare centres also provide a virtual view of their facility on their website. An added feature for some daycare centres is the daily camera feeds that parents can view from their workplace. This improves your trust and comfort with leaving your child with a caregiver.

Ask friends, neighbors and family members for recommendations on the best daycare centres in your area.  Listen to their recommendations; take your child for a visit to see the interactions with the other children, and the staff. Consider all the options available related to cost, location, size of the facility and play areas, and the safety of the equipment.

Be sure that you are aware of the educational and age-appropriate programs that are provided by the daycare centre.  Check out the ratio of child to adult and that your child is not in an overcrowded facility where daily needs will not be met.

Make up your short list of probable providers for your child. Contact them for available space and check for time constraints and schedules that will meet your needs. Visit to make observations reviews of the staff, how your child reacts to staff members and other children and whether the environment is the right fit for your child. The final thing to remember is that the right daycare centre at the right price that will fit your budget and make you feel comfortable, will make your life a whole lot easier.

Community childcare centres are the likely source for getting childcare for your child. If you are not fortunate enough to hire a nanny in-house, your community childcare centre is probably a centre you can trust compared to one that is near your job.  There are many advantages to having your childcare facility near your home than near your work. 

Many community childcare centres conduct parent/child programs, meetings, and activities that build the trust and security that parent look for when they are trying to find a childcare provider. Community childcare centres allow parents to participate in deciding on educational curriculum, programs, and activities that will work for the entire community.

These community childcare centres reflect the culture and character of your community. More strong relationships are developed in a community childcare centre than one away from your community.

Most curriculums at community childcare centres are set along with those of the community schools and most likely will instruct your child on the requirements set by those schools. Make sure that when you decide on your choice of community childcare centre that there is a space for your child.  Even if you are not ready immediately, make sure that you have your child on the waitlist, as you do not want to miss a chance to place your child in the exact community childcare centre that you wish.

Do make your visits to the many community childcare centres in your neighborhood to observe the size of the facility, that it meets the state guidelines, that your group to child ratio is being met, that the play space and equipment are meeting your standards.  Finally, make sure that you observe your child’s interactions with others as well as the staff.

Your community childcare centre will most likely meet the high standards that you are looking for and meets the diverse needs of your community.

If your child is in an environment that you are comfortable with, and your child is safe, you can devote your time away from home to your work and therefore maintain gainful employment.
If you have decided that you are going to work outside the home, you must find dependable childcare services for your child.  Start early and as far in advance as possible to locate a local childcare center that will provide the services you want and meet the criteria you have set for a safe, healthy and happy environment for your child.  Make a list of potential childcare centres you want to visit. Make sure that the childcare center offers full-time, part-time, or flexible hours.

When you visit a few of the local childcare centres, plan to observe during various times of the day, the interaction between caregivers and children.  Ask as many questions that you would like, for example, the adult to child ratio, the educational level of the caregivers, and the group size. Inquire about accreditation with national associations for their childcare programs. Review the space allotted for each group and playground area, play equipment and the safety of the play area.

Take your child for a short session to view his or her interaction with other children and caregivers.  You can also get your child acclimated to the new environment by enrolling them for 1-2 days a week. 
Usually most childcare centres will have a website that you can visit on the Internet. Some will give a virtual tour, but you may still want to visit personally.  Even more advantageous is a virtual camera that you can view from your own workplace.  This often helps to make you feel more comfortable that you can view during the day and see that your child is safe, and also his or her interactions with others throughout the day.

Compare the pay scales and schedules to find what best fits your needs and make an informed decision on the best childcare centre for your child. You will have peace of mind and you will feel much better about leaving your child in the care of others and then also do a great job for your employer.