BACK-TO-SCHOOL PLANNING

Make sure to include the younger children

By Pam Tatum

All over Atlanta it is “back-to-school” time, and parents and children alike are getting ready for a new schedule, new teachers and new experiences. But what about the really young learners – the babies and toddlers – in our midst?

In Georgia, more than two-thirds of children under age six spend all or some of their day being cared for by someone other than their parents. Research says that from birth to age three is when 90 percent of brain development occurs, making the experiences during this time crucial for future growth and learning.

Just as much thought – if not more –should go into researching and planning where infants and toddlers spend their day as parents do for the schools their older children attend.

Young children need a safe and loving environment where they can question, explore and feel confident in their learning. These years set the framework for all of the learning yet to come, so parents need to make sure that their children are in the best care possible.

However, finding a high-quality childcare program can be a little harder than one thinks, and even more difficult when you are unsure of what a “quality” program is.

Nonprofit Quality Care for Children has made the search process easier with the All Georgia Kids website (AllGaKids.org), 1-877-ALL-GA-KIDS and the All Georgia Kids app that can be downloaded for free on iTunes. It’s a free, searchable resource that helps parents find a quality program that fits their criteria – ranging from cost of care to location.

Additionally, the All Georgia Kids resource includes whether or not a child care program has received a quality rating through Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning’s Quality Rated system. Quality Rated, launched in 2013, assigns a one-, twoor three-star rating to a program that meets standards that exceed the licensing requirements so parents can easily identify the quality of the program. More than 1,300 childcare programs in Georgia are participating in Quality Rated. Here are some tips for parents looking for childcare or to make a switch:

• Begin your search early.

• Visit all programs, and on multiple occasions at different time during the day

• Pay attention to how children are responding to care givers. Are they happy, engaged and active?

• The care program facility is in good shape and clean.

• Does the program have low staff turnover, and are they licensed or Quality Rated?

Pam Tatum is CEO of Quality Care for Children, a nonprofit working to ensure that all of Georgia’s young children are nurtured and educated. Find more tips at QualityCareforChildren.org.