Choosing a daycare can be a difficult decision for parents. It's the reason why child care experts advise all parents to research daycare centers before enrolling their children into a program.
"You're leaving your child, your most precious being in the care of somebody else," said Mary Ann Ketels with 4C Child Care Unlimited in Flint. "It's important to look beyond the state issued license. you need to know you've done everything you can to ensure safety and well-being."
Michele Hammond, manager at Terry Matlock School of Performing Arts in Grand Blanc advises parents to just stop in and visit random daycare centers.
"Cleanliness is important," Hammond said. "Fire drills ... and make sure everyone is CPR certified."
Ketels said supervisors and physical environment are important.
In one tragic case, 3-year-old Jahnavi Thompson lost his life after a table fell on his head. Cases such as that are not common, but Ketels wants to remind all parents to look at staff to child ratio.
"Every child needs to be watched every minute and it just takes a few seconds for something really tragic to happen," Ketels said.
Safety is one of the biggest concerns parents have when choosing a daycare for their children. And while you can't guarantee accidents won't happen, doing your research and homework before enrolling your child the best advice experts give.
Childcare in Michigan
