So you`ve just had a baby. Congratulations. But what arrangements have you made for day care?
The need for quality day care is one of the facts of life for working parents of small children. Finding quality care is a difficult job. And that`s another fact of new-parenting: you can`t wait until the baby is born to start looking for day care.
First, consider the options available:
–A licensed day care center
–A ”nanny” who comes to the home
–A licensed day care home
–An unlicensed day care home
–An unlicensed sitter
Examining the benefits and drawbacks of each will help determine what type will best fill your needs in your price range.
Finding licensed day care for infants is difficult in the Chicago area. There are only four licensed day care centers within the city limits, according to Lilly Vinson of the Department of Children and Family Services. They are: A Little World, 3319 W. 55th St.; The Developmental Institute, 7037 S. Stony Island Ave.; Beverly Hills Preschool, 1845 W. 95th St., and St. Vincent DePaul Day Care Center, 2145 N. Halsted St. The department licenses day care centers in the state.
The St. Vincent DePaul Day Care Center is particularly well known. Mary MacKenzie is its director.
”If we had space for 300 infants, we would still have a waiting list,”
she says.
St. Vincent`s has been providing day care to older children since 1915 and added the first infant program (for babies older than 4 months) in the city in 1974. It now provides day care to 480 children, including 48 infants in four rooms being cared for by 12 teachers. (Pediatricians and child care experts prefer a ratio of one caretaker to six infants.) St. Vincent`s has a waiting list of 350 infants.
MacKenzie believes the most important thing new parents should look for in day care is open communication with and trust in the caretakers.
”Parents feel so guilty dropping off their infants that it is important that they be encouraged to call to see what`s happening, or to drop in at any time,” she said.
She suggests that parents look at the other children in the day carecenter. Are they happy? Are they crying? She admits that with infants, it is even more difficult to ascertain good care because they can`t tell you how they like it.
St. Vincent`s is government subsidized and receives support from United Way. It charges a maximum of $85 a week per family, no matter how many children in the family; fees are based on ability to pay, so often are much less. Seventy-eight per cent of the children`s parents are single.
St. Vincent`s gives preferential treatment to children on its waiting list who have been abused, have a parent on staff or have siblings at the center.
”There are two main problems with infant day care,” says Diane Holmes, a Lincoln Park-based pediatrician. ”The first is the risk of infection. Whenever a group of babies is assembled, upper respiratory infections and gastro-intestinal infections are prevalent.”
Dr. Holmes says it is difficult to maintain an adequate level of hygiene to prevent severe infections in infants. She recommends home care for infants. ”Infants need to be responded to quickly when they cry,” Holmes says,
”and those under the age of 3 or 4 months should never be left to just cry.” She prefers a one-to-one or two-to-one ratio for infant care. But hiring someone to come into the home is the most expensive option because it is a full-time job.
A less expensive option is care provided by a woman in her own home for eight or fewer children. It usually costs less than a day care center and is a good option for infant care because of the homelike environment and small group size coupled with flexible hours and close proximity to the infant`s home.
However, a day care home in which the provider is caring for three or fewer children including her own is not required by Illinois law to be licensed; also exempt from licensing are home care providers caring for children all from the same family, park district programs and centers run by public or private schools.
The same criteria for choosing a nanny or a licensed day care center are applicable. Also, make sure that the home is ”childproof,” that electrical outlets are covered and that potentially dangerous objects are not within reach. Make sure that fire extinguishers and smoke alarms are installed.
Watch the provider interact with the other children. Do you feel comfortable that your infant will be stimulated, nurtured and held a lot?
Would you give this person a license?
The last category is the least satisfactory but most often used. Neighbors who want to make some extra money and relatives who can`t refuse your need are least likely to display the knowledge, patience and skills of trained professionals. Unlicensed probably also means uninsured and unqualified.
More children, for instance, are sexually abused by relatives or friends than in day care centers.
Whatever you choose, you must monitor the situation. Stop in unexpectedly. Observe your child`s attitude and talk to other parents who use the same provider.
The Yale Bush Advisory Committee on Infant Care Leave in New York is addressing this problem on the national level. Because of the high cost of infant care and because many parents and professionals have fears about the effects of separating parents and infants in the early weeks and months of life, the committee is investigating the feasibiliy of a national policy of partly-paid infant care leave.
In the meantime, however, parents need help. Locally, a good place to look for help in finding day care is the Jane Addams Center, 3212 N. Broadway (549-1631). The center will assist parents who require day care for their children; it also regularly monitors and evaluates the providers it refers. Fees are based on ability to pay and actual placement (not just leads). According to LinaCramer, director, it gets about 300 calls a month from parents looking for help.
Another good resource for parents is the Mothers` Network News, a bimonthly newsletter produced by Jean Ban. The subscription-only newsletter offers listings of things to do with children. Its August ”Special Report”
was devoted to a comprehensive directory of child care services. For more information, write to Mothers` Network News, P.O. Box 11569, Chicago, Ill. 60611 (642-3022). Subscriptions are $10 a year for six issues plus all special reports. The August special report is available for nonsubscribers for $3.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN QUALITY DAY CARE:
–The physical surroundings are clean and bright
–The staff is friendly
–An enclosed, manicured outdoor play area is provided.
–A reasonable staff to infant or child ratio is maintained.
–The size of the room (number of children per square foot) is adequate for the number of children.
–Check on how the infants are fed (they should be fed one at a time and while being held only–never propped up with a bottle .
–Caregivers are knowledgeable about child care (six credit hours in child development is minimum).
–Is there a nurse on premises?
–Do the caregivers know first aid?
–Is the diaper area separate from food service area.
–Are toys kept separate (not passed from child to child) and clean?
–Does the staff practice good hygiene, such as washing hands with an antiseptic after diaper changes.
Many new parents choose to hire someone to provide care in their homes. The baby probably is the best person to conduct the interview: Watch for clues. If the baby seems comforted and secure with the person, chances are that you will be also. But if the infant withdraws, or the eyes glaze over, this is not the right person for the job.
Other considerations to help you in screening candidates for home child care:
–Is the candidate prompt for the interview; well-groomed; a smoker?
–Does the candidate display genuine warmth toward your child? Does the candidate speak well of other children in her past?
–Does the candidate have a good command of English? (In the event of an emergency, can she call for help or explain your child`s illness or injury?)
–Does the candidate know first aid?
Don`t forget post-interview work. Check references. Don`t be afraid to ask the prospect to undergo a physical examination. Health is a priority here, yours as well as the infant`s.
