The transition to child care can be a nerve-wracking time in a parent’s life. Finding a provider that works for your family can be challenging and time-consuming. Make finding child care simple by following our handy guide.
Check Your References
The first step is finding out what child care is available. Our Referral Department can help you locate regulated providers through consultation and referrals from a database of nearly 1,000 child care programs throughout southern Wisconsin.
Figure Out What’s Important
Now that you have a list of child care options near you, it’s time to figure out which one is best for your family. Before you can do that though, you need to figure out what requirements you have for child care. We’ve provided some basic things to look for when judging the quality of care, but it is important for you to consider the specifics of what your child needs.
Is Anything Wrong?
One of the first things you should look for when evaluating a provider is whether they have any complaints or concerns against them. To find out, make sure to check with the appropriate regulatory agency. You can find out how to contact them on this page.
Child Care Costs
A major consideration for parents is the cost of each program. Child care can be expensive, so making sure that you get the best price that fits your family’s budget is very important. We’ve collected data from child care programs in the 4-C service delivery area and created reports on wages, rates, benefits, and enrollments to help parents watch their wallets.
Make First Contact
After you’ve made all the preparations, it is time to get in contact with each provider to ask them about their program. Making sure to have a written list of questions to ask each child care program ahead of time can help you feel more confident about the provider you choose.
Help Your Wallet
Once they’ve found the right child care option, you should always consider exploring different options for alleviating the cost of child care. Any option that can lessen the financial impact is worth taking a look into.
If you have questions about finding child care in southern Wisconsin you can contact us using this form, email us at [email protected], or call us at 1-800-750-KIDS