Finding Child Care in Portland Oregon: Ask the Right Questions

The key to getting what you want is asking the right questions. And when it comes to finding child care in Portland Oregon, information is vital. Here are the most important questions to ask:

Are you licensed?

This is absolutely necessary to know when you’re hunting for child care in Portland Oregon and anywhere else in the country. Being licensed with the state guarantees that the daycare meets safety requirements, is clean, has enough space and ventilation and hires staff members that can pass background checks. This may seem very basic, but this is not a question to skip since it deals directly with your child’s safety and health.

Tell me about your staff members.

There are two important questions here: What is your turnover rate and are your staff members degreed professionals? First, don’t be shocked if the turnover rate is rather high. This is normal for a profession like child care, which pays very low wages. If you ask this question at all of the care centers you visit though, you can get a good feel for “normal” and pick the center with a lower turnover rate. Generally speaking, staff members who stay love their job and will, therefore, likely do a better job.

Next, you need to ask if staff members are required to hold degrees and/or how many of them do. Don’t be worried if the number is low. While many preschools require degrees, they aren’t nearly as common in daycares. That said, you may prefer at least a couple of the lead staff members to hold degrees. It’s up to you to decide if that’s an important factor in your decision.

Can you walk me through a typical day here?

This is the perfect question because it will give you a good feel for the staff members’ approach to learning and fun. If creativity is important to you, listen to see if they mention a lot of crafts or imaginative play in their daily routine. If you’d like a strong focus on literary skills, see if they mention story time. It’s up to you to determine what you care most about here, but this question will give you a good idea of the center’s learning philosophy and approach.

What’s your late policy?

It happens to the best of us. You get held up at work, you hit traffic, your car breaks down. Once in a blue moon, you may be late to pick up your child from daycare. You need to know what will happen. Who will wait with them? What’s the late fee (some policies charge $1 for every minute the parent is late)?

Can I schedule a tour?

If you’re asking all of these questions over the phone, it’s time to head in and check the place out for yourself. You can only get so much out of online research and phone calls. In order to really get a feel for any options for child care in Portland Oregon (or anywhere at all), you need to visit the center in person.

Find Child Care in Portland Oregon Today!