Finding affordable, quality daycare for their children is a dilemma that most working parents have to face at some point of time or other. Fortunately, this problem can now be solved to a great extent by browsing through the local phone book. Most directories have a detailed list of daycare centers under their child care, preschool and schools sections.

Let your fingers do the walking. Find and phone the daycare centers closest to your home. Inquire about cost per day/ week, number of children per minder, facilities, referees, websites for more information etc. A little phone conversation can usually narrow a long list down to about five promising daycare centers.

After the preliminary phone conversations with the administration and referees, visit the best five daycare centers of your choice with a spouse, relative or friend. Two opinions are always better than one, and they may notice something you don’t.

There are also many government sponsored, and other non profit daycare centers scattered amongst the commercial and home daycare institutions established in the country. Finding out if the centre has been licensed by a recognized educational institute is important to the safety of your child.

Parents should also focus on staff training (qualifications in childcare, training in first aid and identification of victims of abuse etc.), safety within and outside the daycare centers, staff per children ratio and sick room facilities (infections amongst children spread faster than wildfire).

Daycare centers are now more than just play areas for children. Many centers offer educational and reliable development programs for children and focus on preparing them for kindergarten. Some accept children when they are as young as six weeks old and care for them until they enter nursery school.

It is interesting to note that daycare centers have been popping up around the world for last couple of centuries. The first documented daycare centers in Europe appeared in the late 1800s. The first daycare centre in the United States was the New York Day Nursery which was established by a private charity in 1854.

However, at the end of the day it is the child who uses the daycare centers the most, so it is imperative that every parent talks with their child about how much they like / dislike their centre. Children have short memories, so most problems, fights and dislikes are forgotten within a day or two, but if a problem persists at the end of the week, it may be better to look into it a little deeper.