Question for parents who have found daycares

[sunshineluv]

In my state (NC) there is a website that list the state ratings of all the daycares. I used that to start my search. I also googled child development center or daycare and my zipcode to search.

[Deleted]

I googled my area, reviewed websites - if it sucked I crossed it off my list - and then called for a tour and got on the wait list.


That's about as far as we've gotten.

[firedancer49]

This might get flamed, but craigslist. I wanted an in home daycare, so I searched there, exchanged tons of emails and phone calls, and checked the reviews on our state website. Then did an in-home visit. I did this for both the places dd has been to.

[sunshineluv]

Plus, with your requirment of only part time. You are going to eliminate a lot of places right away (a lot are full time only). I would just start calling around to see who meets your needs.

[CurlyQ284]

Jul 25, 2013 14:20:15 GMT -5 @randomcdn said:

I googled my area, reviewed websites - if it sucked I crossed it off my list - and then called for a tour and got on the wait list.


That's about as far as we've gotten.

I did this. I knew I was looking near my house or work so I went to Google maps and searched daycare and my zip code. Then I checked each one out and went from there.

[dixienormous]

Google. Also check chain daycare sites, and see if there is a local Child Care Council in your county.

[dixienormous]

I will say that having grown up in a bunch of different in-home daycares (as in I went to someone's house) I was adamant that DD be in a chain dc. There are far more eyes (state, school district in some cases, and corporate) checking up that things are being done correctly.

Now, that being said, we now have nanny. But that's due to DD's disabilities and the fact that her former dc couldn't accommodate her needs.

[luckyval]

Jul 25, 2013 14:20:11 GMT -5 sunshineluv said:

In my state (NC) there is a website that list the state ratings of all the daycares. I used that to start my search. I also googled child development center or daycare and my zipcode to search.

Also in NC

The state's Department of Health and Human Services has a great website with a list of all licensed facilities, contact info, ratings, details of past inspections. It's a really good tool

But, the best one we found was through word of mouth

[litebright]

I had a couple of names from acquaintances, plus there are so many in my area that I just took note of the ones I drive by every day.

I started out by checking web sites and googling, getting prices if it was listed on their web site or by calling. I narrowed those down and then picked two to visit (which were also the ones recommended by people I know).

If you're looking for PT, you might be more accommodated by an in-home daycare. Only one of the centers around here that I called offered PT care, and it was only $3 per day cheaper than FT. PT care is hard to find -- usually you are charged for FT even if you need less.

[piper]

We found the in-home center by word of mouth.  Quite a few people gave recs for one woman. She was also my sil's babysitter when she was little. At that point it was a no brainer.

He stayed there until he was 15 months - once he became mobile and started talking, I wanted him in a center. We looked at EVERY center within a 15 mile radius.  I knew within a few minutes of being there that we would go with this center. It was so warm and inviting, something that I was not expecting from a national/regional daycare.

[shell403b]

I actually found our in-home from my local Nest board, of all places. A mom who is a reg poster there did a PSA that there were spots, so we called, visited and that was that.