Child Care Choices
"Your Link to Community Child Care in Miami County"

Families  |   Providers  | Centers   |  Community  |  Special Events  

Child Care Choices Serves Families

Child Care Choices only gives information on availability of caregivers. We do not recommend or regulate. Families are responsible for interviewing and selecting the child care provider best suited to their needs. Child Care Choices does not make recommendations to particular programs or types of child care.   Complaint Policy and Procedures.

Child Care Choices helps families find care for:

• Infants and Toddlers

• Preschool children

• Before and after school care.

Referrals are provided free of charge.  

If you have a complaint or would like to check on the licensing history of any of the licensed programs, call the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services at 614-466-7765. All information is kept confidential.

Child Care Checklist for Parents

Subsidy information

Ohio Department of Job and Family Services Online

 Request Child Care Online

Child Care Choices also produces a monthly Partners in Parenting newsletter. The newsletter is distributed to all parents of children in the care of child care providers listed with Child Care Choices.

See "15-Minute Quality Activities to Do with Your Children".

Activity and crafts ideas and parenting info - links to online information!

Child Care Choices offers a variety of publications to help parents and child care providers as well as publications for the public, in general

The Daily Parent newsletter (http://childcareaware.org/en/dailyparent/), an online newsletter published by Child Care Aware, offers the latest information on child development issues, tips for finding quality child care, and numerous resources for busy parents, as well as child care professionals.  

Parenting articles from Elizabeth Pantley, Author - http://www.pantley.com/elizabeth.  Advice, solutions, links and books about parenting.

See ideas for Summer Activities for your children!

The annual report and quarterly newsletters are available online as PDF files.  If you do not have the Adobe Acrobat Reader installed, first download a free copy. 

Child Care Choices works closely with other Miami County agencies. We have information about financial assistance should you need it. For information, referral and screening for children 0-5 years who may have special needs, call Children's Network at 937-332-7039.

For child advocacy information try these sites:
National Association for the Education of Young Children
National School-Age Care Alliance
National Association For Family Child Care
Ohio Dept. of Jobs and Family Services
Child Care Works
Ohio Department of Job and Family Services Online

- Child Care Aware is a program of the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral. 

Choosing Quality Child Care

GUIDELINES FOR CHOOSING QUALITY CHILD CARE

• Start early to avoid being pressured into a hasty decision.
• Always visit the home or center BEFORE placement.
• Visit more than one place for comparison.
• Do not make a commitment on your first visit. Take time to think about it.
• Be sure you have access to your child at any time.
• Choose a caregiver you feel you can trust.
• Caregiver should be aware of and respond to infant's special needs.
• Parents have the RIGHT AND RESPONSIBILITY to ask any and all questions about care of their children.

WARNING SIGNS OF POOR CHILD CARE

• Unannounced visit discourages
• Child talks about being afraid or is fearful of caregiver or is consistently unhappy about going to facility
• Frequent staff turnover or care seems indifferent
• Child has excessive number of unexplained injuries
• Caregiver's voice or manner seems harsh
• Insufficient toys or few activities
• Caregiver will not discuss your concerns rationally
• You feel uneasy about the care

CHARACTERISTICS OF QUALITY CHILD CARE GIVERS

• interact at eye level with children
• speak in a quiet voice and respect children's choices and opinions
• listen attentively to each child and respond encouragingly
• ask open-ended questions (What do you think about. . .How do you suppose we could. . .)
• change the classroom or home equipment and activities regularly to stimulate new interests
• have a planned program that involves hands-on activities
• seek frequent education for themselves in the early childhood field
• read to children daily and have a variety of age-appropriate books available

CHECKLIST FOR QUALITY CHILD CARE

• How many children is each caregiver responsible for?
• How much experience does the caregiver have? Are references available? Check them!
• Is parent participation encouraged? Required?
• Is toilet training required?
• Does the environment seem clean and safe? Are all areas supervised?
• Is there adequate indoor and outdoor space?
• Are emergency procedures adequate? Do caregivers know basic first aid?
• Do children seem relaxed, happy, and playing cooperatively? How are conflicts handled?
• do caregivers set consistent limits, which help children learn to make choices? How are children disciplined?
• Are children being taught respect for all kinds of people?
• Do the caregivers help children feel good about themselves? Do they show patience, warmth, and humor?
• Are there plenty of supplies and learning materials? Are they safe and clean? Is there an apparent curriculum/program?
• Is feedback provided to parents about the child's progress?
• Has the caregiver planned an alternate method of care if he/she cannot care for your children?
• Do you agree on policies concerning sickness and vacations?
• Are well-balanced meals provided?

Child Care Choices
4817 State Route 202
Tipp City, Ohio 45371
937-667-1799
Toll free telephone #1-866-667-4799
FAX 937-669-5469
Janine Sadler, Director
e-mail CCC