Selecting and Hiring Childcare Employees

In today's fast-paced society, many familiesemployees.
depend on some form of childcare arrangementsThe first step in locating quality childcare
to help meet the demands of family and work.employees is to identify several candidates and
The majority of parents in America work outsideconduct a telephone interview to help you
the home, creating a need for dependabledetermine which you'd like to speak with or visit in
childcare. Reliable, responsible childcare employeesperson. Those who don't impress you during the
are crucial to successfully performing your jobtelephone interview will probably not impress you
and caring for your family.in person either, so you can eliminate the ones
Childcare employees and parents can findyou are not interested in right away. You can
numerous resources and organizations to helpthen visit or speak personally with the facilities
meet that challenge. You can find practical adviceand potential childcare employees who need
on choosing childcare employees, payroll and taxfurther consideration.
issues, and hints on how to provide your child withOnce you have made your final decision, you will
quality childcare. Local, state, and Federal agencieswant to take steps to monitor the quality of care
have a wealth of information regarding licensing,your child receives. This can be accomplished by
insurance, and tax laws.involvement in your child's activities, observing
Many companies are offering on-site childcare toyour child in the presence of the childcare
employees as a way to reduce unplannedemployee or day care center and discussing any
absences and time lost from work due to familyproblems or concerns you may have, talking with
issues. Flexible scheduling and the convenience ofyour child about how he or she feels about the
receiving high quality day care at your office hastime they spend with the caregiver or in the
made the task of balancing work and familycenter or home.
easier for many families. For those who do notMake frequent visits and observe the number of
have access to childcare at their place ofchildren and caregivers in attendance, the condition
employment, federally funded programs areand appearance of the home or day care center,
available to assist you in locating and paying forand the atmosphere created by the childcare
childcare.employees. If the caregiver is employed inside
Childcare employees working in federally fundedyour home, there are a number of electronic
facilities are trained and licensed to maintain asurveillance devices that will allow you to monitor
certain standard of quality and professionalismthe caregiver and you child while you are at work.
while employed in the childcare center. InformationFinding adequate childcare is a major concern for
is available to you through a variety of programsfamilies in which both parents work outside the
to help you in choosing a childcare facility, screenhome or single parent families. Utilize the
childcare employees, and how to monitor the levelresources available to you and research the
of care your child receives while in the day carefacility and/or childcare employees to give you
center or home you have chosen. There arepeace of mind at work and to ensure that your
checklists you can copy or print to assist you inchild is well cared for and happy.
asking the right questions and evaluating childcare