LA CROSSE, WI (WXOW)—For some families, heading back to school means finding a new childcare provider.
Whether you're looking for a center or an in home provider, Nancy Meyers, Young Star Consultant from The Parenting Place said there's a lot to consider.
One item for parents to look for is the Young Star ratings program.
Wisconsin gives all childcare providers receiving state aid a 1-5 star ranking, with 5 being the highest score.
Other providers can participate voluntarily.
She recommends going with a provider who has at least a ranking of 2-meaning they meet health and safety standards.
Meyers said consider the level of education you want your provider to have and what you want them to teach your child.
She also said it's important to visit the center multiple times and red flags should go up if they only let you visit the center with a scheduled appointment.
Most importantly, she said, find a provider your whole family is comfortable with.
"I had a family come in the door and I went down on my knees to say hello to their child and the mom looked at the dad and said this is where we're going and he said we didn't even look around and she said this is the only place that cared about our child and how they felt looking around," Meyers said.
For help finding a daycare provider, parents can use the database at The Parenting Place. Call 608-784-8125 and ask for resource and referrals.
