No one kind of care is "best" for all infants. Center-based programs, family child care providers, and family, friends, and neighbors can all provide quality care for an infant. When you are looking for infant care, be sure to ask questions about the caregiver's style, the program schedule, and the rules and regulations.
Here are some things to look for:
--Caregivers who interact with your infant, give her new things to look at and play with, respond quickly every time she cries, and spend a lot of time talking, laughing, and smiling with your infant.
--Programs with low staff-to-child ratios, so that one adult is only caring for a small number of infants.
--A child care setting where your infant will be able to stay with the same adult for as long as possible.
--Caregivers who have credentials and education specifically in infant development. Caregivers with more education tend to be more responsive to infants.
--Programs with a schedule that is predictable, yet responsive to your infant's individual needs. Infants should not be expected to eat or sleep on the same schedule or rigid schudule.
--An open-door policy. Parents should be free to visit their infant at any time.
