Measuring Quality Childcare

All parents, whether they need a babysitter, live-in nanny or daily sitter, want to make sure they are getting quality childcare. While quality is subjective, researchers have measured high quality childcare in various ways: by observation, by recording structural and caregiver characteristics and by assessing health and safety. Parents should determine what their primary concerns are in their childcare situation. They should evaluate what quality childcare means to them, and seek a caregiver who has the same priorities. Some may look for an older caregiver who has the experience of raising her own children. Others may find a nanny with a childhood education degree a perfect fit.