 |
|
|
|
 |
| |
#21 Title:
Child Care You Can Count On! Part 3
Special Guest: Katie Scheper, Parent and Teacher
Description:
Today we conclude our series by listening to a parent’s perspective about finding quality child care. Where do you start? Do you choose in-home care or center-based? Can you actually go to work knowing your child is in good hands? How do you keep the lines of communication open with your child’s teacher? Listen in as Katie, parent and teacher, shares her point-of-view.
Listen to Part 1: NACCRRA's Linda Smith
Listen to Part 2: Family Child Care, Gwen Ridley
|
Music Spotlight:
 |
|
|
|
|
Duration: 32:07
Index
00:38 Welcome Katie
01:31 Why Family Child Care?
06:28 Questions to Ask a Provider
10:31 Going to Work Without Worries?
14:52 Communication is the Key
18:05 Preparing for School
19:57 Value of Play
25:02 Suggestions for New Parents
26:10 No Preschool for Aidan
28:26 Resources for Parents, Closing Comments, Thanks Experts! |
|
|
|
|
About Katie Scheper
Truly passionate about children, Katie is a devoted mother of two and a dedicated school teacher. Katie, and her husband of seven years, Michael, yearn to have a large family one day. Being surrounded by children makes them very happy as they eagerly await the birth of their third child. Their lovely children are Ella, age 3 1/2, and Max, age 1 1/2.
Before entering the parenting arena, Katie graduated from the University of Kentucky with a degree in Early Childhood Education and taught four years in a day care setting. Her enthusiasm for teaching (and learning herself) led her right back to school to pursue her Masters Degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Cincinnati. She is currently in her fifth year of teaching in the public school system, in an inclusive preschool classroom of children ages 3-5. She works with all children, including many with special needs and serves as a resource teacher or mentor to new teachers during their internships.
Katie is very fond of Ella and Max’s family child care provider and knows first-hand what a positive experience in-home care can be for parents. She has also experienced child care within a day care setting (from a parent’s perspective, not a teacher’s) for her oldest child when her family child care provider took a temporary leave of absence; and currently enrolled her in a part-time preschool program as a supplement to family child care. As a full-time working parent, Katie understands the importance of securing quality child care in an arrangement that is both comfortable and dependable so she can have the confidence that her own children are being well cared for and educated when she’s in her teacher-role at work!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Resources for Parents
(New Family Child Care Resources Just Added!)
Is This the Right Place for My Child? 38 Research-Based Indicators of High-Quality Child Care: The booklet contains a checklist of 38 questions that you can ask to evaluate child care programs. Unlike most guidelines for selecting child care, this booklet explains why each question is important and how it relates to the quality of care. All of the questions are based on research about what is important to your child’s health, safety, and development.
http://www.naccrra.org/parent/qualityindicators (free download) 
Websites:
Quality Care
Take a look at the many parent-focused programs, initiatives, and resources NACCRRA has available for you.
http://www.naccrra.org/parent/index.php
Quality Child Care: Recognizing and Choosing the Best for Your Children
http://www.childcareaware.org/en/dailyparent/volume.php?id=39
Non-Traditional Care
Selecting a Faith-Based Program
http://www.childcareaware.org/en/areyouaware/articles.php?id=22
Finding Care for Non-Traditional Hours
http://www.childcareaware.org/en/dailyparent/volume.php?id=19
Using a Relative for Care
http://www.childcareaware.org/en/dailyparent/volume.php?id=2
Finding Before and After School Care
http://childcare.about.com
Preschool
10 Signs of a Great Preschool
http://www.childcareaware.org/en/areyouaware/articles.php?id=55
Preschool - Academics or Play?
http://www.childcareaware.org/en/areyouaware/articles.php?id=21
Early Years Are Learning Years Helping Young Children Start School
http://naeyc.org
In-Home Care / Family Child Care
Agreements to Use with Family Child Care Providers
http://www.childcareaware.org/en/tools/resources/agreementform.pdf
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/ofc/Forms/05_06_CCAgreement.pdf
Why Choose Family Child Care?
http://nafcc.org
Facts About Family Child Care
http://4c-cinci.org/FCC/fccfacts.html
Child Care Aware Can Help!
Child Care Aware, a program of NACCRRA, is a non-profit initiative committed to
helping parents find the best information on locating quality child care and child
care resources in their community. We do this by raising visibility for local child
care resource and referral agencies nationwide, and by connecting parents with the
local agencies best equipped to serve their needs.
Find out the average rates for child care in your area.
Should you return to work or stay at home?
Locate a resource & referral agency in your area.
Have access to many child care resources.
Browse articles about parenting
and MORE!
Click here for more information.
|
Aidan, Age 2 |
| |
Did You Know?
Almost 12 million children under age 5 in the United States—that’s 63 percent of the nation’s children under 5—are in some type of child care arrangement every week, And more than 6 million of them are in the care of someone other than a relative.
On average, children under age 5 spend more than 30 hours a week in child care. Children of working mothers spend almost 40 hours a week in these arrangements.
A family in the United States with a 4-year-old child encounters average prices of $3,016 to $9,628 a year in child care fees. Parents of infants face even higher child care prices. Average child care fees for one infant range from $3,803 to $13,480 a year.
Currently, 70.7% of women with children work.
Sources: www.naccrra.org/docs/policy/FocusGrpReport
www.naccrra.org/policy/docs/BreakingPiggy
Josh, Age 2 |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
Music:
