5 Interview Questions for Childcare Providers

When it comes to your child’s safety, is there anything you wouldn’t ask a potential daytime care provider? With varying options for finding childcare providers, from popular babysitting sites to established businesses to word-of-mouth referrals, parents may find themselves asking, “What qualifications deems a particular sitter or service good enough for my child?”

Depending on whether you choose to go with an individual or a company, your questions may vary. However, the answers to these five foundational questions should always be known before leaving your child in another’s care:

  1. How many years of experience do you have watching children?
  2. What ages are you comfortable and capable of taking care of?
  3. Do you have any references?
  4. Are you CPR, AED, and/or First Aid trained?
  5. For businesses, are you licensed or insured?
  6. Establish your expectations for a daycare provider; what qualities do you want the staff/sitter to have?
    1. Smoker or Non-smoker?
    2. Pet-friendly?
    3. Educated?
    4. Bi-lingual?
    5. What activities do you engage in with children?
    6. Has license/vehicle? (For at-home babysitters)
  7. What kind of discipline does your daycare provider use?
  8. What is the environment like?
  9. For businesses, what are the other children like?
  10. Is there a routine?
  11. How safe and hygienic is the establishment?

As parents, it is our responsibility to perform our due diligence regarding our child’s care. It is also important to know the needs of our child(ren) and to set appropriate expectations for the care provider. Remember that with most services, you get what you pay for. That said, you should always rely on your parental intuition regardless of the how inexpensive or costly the childcare provider’s rates are.

By simply asking these five questions beforehand, you will be able to more effectively weed out average options and find the best care provider for your child. However, it’s important to understand that even childcare providers with great credentials and all the right answers may engage in negligent behavior while caring for your child. If a child you know was endangered or injured while under a childcare provider’s supervision, the child and/or family may be entitled to compensation. After contacting the appropriate authorities, we suggest you reach out to a personal injury lawyer to determine what options you have.