Tips on Choosing a Reliable Caregiver

Finding a reliable caregiver is an enduring worry for parents in busy environments and who are tasked with employment, finances, housekeeping, and other worries. Whether you work full-time, a few hours a week or have other outside commitments, choosing child care is an important decision. You want to ensure your child is in a safe, caring, and stimulating environment, with plenty of opportunities to learn and grow every day. You also want an open, positive relationship with your child’s caregiver.

In fact, child’s caregivers take on the role of first teachers to assist and support the child’s cognitive, emotional, physical, and social development. A caregiver may be a child’s parent, grandparent, child care provider, early childhood teacher or other significant family members. It is important for parents, supporting caregivers, and educators of young children to understand this familial role. This task provides resources explaining the role of parents and family caregivers as first teachers. However, it can be a difficult task for parents. There are lots of things to look out for  and to remember to ask when you hire a caregiver. How do you know if your child will be happy? Will they cater for your child’s needs? Do they provide feedback about how your child is doing? What if my child doesn’t like it?

In this case, if you are a parent to young children, you have likely thought to yourself , “ with the wealth of choices I have at my disposal, how do I choose the right child care provider? “ It’s a parent’s first instinct to seek what’s best, safest, and most enjoyable for their children. However, not all child care options are necessarily affordable or sustainable given your circumstances. In light of this, here’s a guide to choosing the reliable caregiver.

5 Tips on Choosing a Reliable Caregiver.

Throughout the circus act of parenting, it’s important to focus on balancing priorities, juggling responsibilities and quickly flipping between the needs of your children, other family members and yourself. Modern parents have the entire internet at their disposal and don’t follow any single authority. It’s hard to know whom or what to trust. Yet, when choosing caregiver, parents are often at a loss regarding what they should watch for, or focus on, in making the decision.

• Ask for a commitment.

Babies need consistent, predictable care. It helps them to form a secure attachment to their caregivers. If you’re looking at an in-home caregiver, request that the person you’re considering make a one-year commitment to the job. If you’re considering a center, find out how long the current caregivers have been working there and how much turnover the center usually experiences.

• The caregiver has been certified. 

Although experience as a mom is a fine quality in a family day-care provider, it’s not enough. Check that she’s trained in CPR and infant first aid, and that she takes refresher courses annually. Ask how many kids she accepts, max including drop-ins. If you expect the place to serve as preschool later, inquire about the provider’s education and experience.

• Has a good history.

If you go through an agency, they’ll do educational and background screenings of the candidates. If you find a caregiver through word of mouth, ask how much education and child-care training she has including infant CPR and if she can share a recent background check. On the other hand, you can also ask for references from former employers as well.

• A problem solver caregiver.

It’s inevitable that you’ll experience conflicts with your caregiver, both large and small. Address problems right away rather than ignoring them until they grow out of proportion. Some issues can be resolved quickly while others may require more discussion. When broaching a difficult subject, ask the caregiver’s opinion, and hear her out. As the parent, you have the final word with an in-home caregiver, but you’re more likely to elicit cooperation if the caregiver knows she has been heard. 

• On par with parenting philosophies.

Find out whether you share parenting philosophies on topics such as discipline using time-outs, screen time, feeding and sleeping routine. For instance, is the TV on all day or used sparingly , what snacks or drinks are provided for older babies or even questions such as how are fussy babies put to sleep. Most importantly, you should ask your caregiver whether there’s a backup plan should the caregiver get sick and be unable to work. The more questions you ask early on, the less likely you are to be unpleasantly surprised later.

Questions To Ask Yourself When Choosing A Reliable Caregiver.

When figuring out who you’re looking for, try asking yourself these questions. You can even make a list of your must-haves. Must-Haves include all your non-negotiables. These are the basics that every caregiver must meet to even be considered for the job. 

1. What’s your desired level of experience and education? You may want someone that has had at least four years experience taking care of infants.
2. What kind of personality do you prefer or need? Do you need someone who is highly organized, or more laid-back?
3. What schedule do you need, and how flexible must they be? Do you need someone full-time or part-time, and what specific days and times of the week do you need? 
4. Do they need to live somewhere specific? Would you prefer someone local in your neighborhood or surrounding town? Because a caregiver’s commute can be a major factor in their scheduling ability.
5. What are their child-rearing philosophies? What kind of discipline techniques do you want the caregiver to follow?
6. Are there any other special provisions you require specifically? Such as CPR-certification or a driver’s license.
7. How do you handle babies when they’re inconsolable? Because patience is one of the most important qualities.

Finally, an important feature of care quality is parental involvement. Reliable caregiver  welcome and foster parental involvement and communication. At the same time, parents must do their part. Most parents are quite ignorant of their child’s daily experience and routine in daycare. Parents are often content to keep a touch and go relationship with caregivers. Parents most often interact meaningfully with caregivers only when some daycare-related issue has negatively impacted their child. Nevertheless, treat your caregivers as professional educators and check in with them routinely. Ask about your child’s day, and about their day. Ask what you can do to help them help your child. And give your child’s caregiver a nice holiday bonus. Childcare workers are grossly underpaid, even though the work they do is difficult, demanding, and crucially important for children, parents, and society at large.