How to pick right child care facility

News 6 gets advice after video shows day care director assaulting child

CLERMONT, Fla. – After a video was released by police, in which authorities said the day care director was physically assaulting a small child, News 6 is getting advice on how to pick the right facility for your child.

Lesha Buchbinder with The Early Learning Coalition of Lake County said that the first thing a parent must do when picking a child care facility is to trust your intuition.
 
"Are the children happy? Are they engaged? Do the teachers give direct attention to the children? Are they at the eye level of the child? Are they working directly with each child?" asked Buchbinder.

Buchbinder said that a quality child care center should encourage parent involvement, welcoming parents into the facility at any time of the day. She also said don't assume everyone has the same training.

"Wanting to know how many of the staff might have the advanced level, the CDA, which is an advanced child development credential. Do they have that or credential or do they just have the basic 40 hours that's required to be in a childcare center."

Also, any physical accident should be reported to the parent.

"If a mark is left on the child, the provider should be calling the parent and saying your child had an accident. He or she is fine, but I wanted to let you know. And then when they pick up the child, they should be able to review the accident report, sign the accident report and take a copy home with themselves," said Buchbinder.

Records show the Children's Palace Learning Center in Clermont had only been open for about six months. Its director, Kimberly Reid, 41, has worked in the child care industry for about four years.

"They majority of our facilities are private businesses and they are going to run it like a private business. Sometimes parents assume that things are going on and they fail to ask the question," said Buchbinder.  "Are you licensed? Are you accredited? Do you have background screenings on your teachers? Are your teachers trained in early education courses and or CPR and first aid?"

Children's Palace Learning Center remains closed following Reid's arrest on Friday.

The Early Learning Coalition of Lake County has created a check list for parents looking for quality childcare. You can read their check list by visiting their website at http://elclc.org/ or to look up information on any licensed child care facility, you can visit https://cares.myflfamilies.com/PublicSearch
 


About the Author:

Troy graduated from California State University Northridge with a Bachelor's Degree in Communication. He has reported on Mexican drug cartel violence on the El Paso/ Juarez border, nuclear testing facilities at the Idaho National Laboratory and severe Winter weather in Michigan.