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Choices in child care

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First-time mom Valerie Mendiburu, 25, felt “horrible” when she had to return to work and put son Braden, then 6 months, in child care.

But her anxieties quickly vanished when she realized he was in capable hands with Barbara Espinoza of Tia Barbara’s Daycare in downtown Bakersfield.

“I know he is genuinely loved. And Barbara will update me when he does something new,” Mendiburu said.

Now 10 months, Mendiburu said Braden almost jumps out of her arms with excitement when she and her husband, Brian, approach Barbara’s door in the morning.

“You can’t buy that peace of mind,” said a relieved Mendiburu.

It’s a situation many parents seeking child care would envy. But quality child care is arrived at by choice, not chance, say experts like program director Lisa Duncan-Purcell of Community Connection for Child Care.

“Next to choosing a spouse, it’s one of the most important choices you’ll ever make,” said Duncan-Purcell.

Studies have shown that the early years and early relationships affect the way a child’s brain is organized, and may determine a lifetime of skills and potential.

“When you think that most parents work a 40-hour week, that means their child is spending around 50 hours in child care. They just go home and go to sleep,” said Duncan-Purcell. “Children are always learning. So while they’re in child care they’re either learning something positive, or something negative and unstimulating.”

The need for child care is growing. Duncan-Purcell said that at least 50 percent of parents with young children are in the workforce.

It’s the mission of Community Connection for Child Care (CCCC) to make choosing a child care provider a little easier for parents by providing the connection between licensed family child care providers and families throughout Kern County, she said.

CCCC serves all parents — there is no income eligibility requirement — and has a database of more than 1,100 licensed child care providers and programs in Kern County, which can be accessed in person, online, or by phone.

Each family will receive a listing of providers (referrals, not recommendations) in their area that fit their specific needs, as well as useful information to consider while selecting care.

MÁS sat down with Duncan-Purcell for more tips on finding quality child care:

Types of childcare
• Licensed family care homes: Offer care and supervision for up to seven children in the provider’s own home. Large family child care homes offer care and supervision for eight to 12 children and have more than one provider. Family day care providers will sometimes keep children extra hours or even overnight if parents have to travel on business, and some are willing to care for your baby when he or she is mildy ill.

• Child care centers: Programs licensed by the state and operate in a facility designed specifically for the care of children. Size and the number of children can vary quite considerably — some centers being licensed for only a handful of children, while others may have over 100. Centers have to meet the requirements of state or local licensing authorities. Staff members usually have child development training.

• In-home care (Nanny Care, Au Pairs, and Baby sitters): Means hiring someone to come into your home and care for your child. In-home providers do not have to be licensed and there are specific tax and employment rules that apply. Both nannies and au pairs fall under the category of in-home care and can be found through agencies. Au pairs are often exchange students from foreign countries who care for children in exchange for room/board and a fee set by an agency. There is no training or licensing of such caregivers, though they should at least take an Infant/Child First Aid and CPR class. Also, it is recommended parents get a background check done.

There are pros and cons to each type of care, said Duncan-Purcell.

Some children are not ready for group care, she said, while others may want to be able to interact with their siblings, in which case family care homes would likely be more flexible than child care centers.

Sharon Brown, the director at Mercy Center, a licensed child care center that serves 225 children ages 6 months to 10 years, has been in the child care field for 30 years and is a former classroom teacher.

“Learning is child-initiated versus teacher-directed,” said Brown, who heads a staff of 52. Entry-level teacher positions require a minimum of 12 units of child development classes, and they eventually have to earn a teacher center permit. Lead teachers have their master’s.

Brown said their program is a great fit for most all children.

“Our program allows for the development of the whole child — socially and emotionally as well as educationally,” said Brown. “We see the relationship as a triangle with the child at the top connecting the parents and caregivers.”

The employee-sponsored program is not exclusively available to hospital employees — there are current openings and more expected in June, according to Brown.

But for those who work entry-level retail jobs with sporadic schedules and night shifts, relying on family and friends for child care may be the only option.

A downside is that those “friends” may not be licensed, meaning the adults in their home haven’t been fingerprinted.

“Your friend could be wonderful, but her 18-year-old-son could be a registered sex offender,” said Duncan-Purcell.

In terms of relative/family care, on the plus side, said Duncan-Purcell, “People know their relatives, and they usually love the kids.”

However, she cautions about mixing business and family.

“You might have a fight with your brother, and your mother sides with your brother, and no longer wants to watch your kids. In which case, you’re up the creek without a paddle,” said Duncan-Purcell.

Finding quality child care
Once you get your referral list from the CCCC, Duncan-Purcell recommends taking as much time as possible to settle on a provider — at least two months before you need the care.

“Every family is different, and every family wants something different,” said Duncan-Purcell, who recommends visiting five or six providers to get a sense of what you like and don’t like.

She also advises parents to look for red flags:
• Is there nurturing interaction between staff and children?
• What is the provider to child ratio? If kids are over 2, there can be up to 12 children to an adult. If they’re under 2, it’s four children per adult.
• TV viewing should be minimum.
• Look for a mix of inside projects and outside play.

Investigating complaints  
Need to find out if your provider has complaints filed against her?

Licensed family child care homes, centers and preschool programs are licensed by Community Care Licensing.

As a parent, said Duncan-Purcell, you have the right to get information about any substantiated or inconclusive complaints about a child care provider that you select for your child. That information is public and you can get it by calling the local licensing office. This telephone number is 559-243-4588. You will need the facility (license) number to request the information and you will only be allowed to access the files of three providers per request.

Paying for child care
Duncan-Purcell said parents with two young children are likely to spend as much on child care as they do on their mortgage.

Some low-income California families qualify to receive financial assistance from the government to help pay for their child care.

The CEL of Kern County can tell you more about help paying for your child care.

Problems with your provider
Duncan-Purcell warns that your relationship with your child care provider is — much like your relationship with your spouse — never going to be perfect.

She said open communication is key.

“You won’t always agree. Just don’t let it get so bad that you can’t talk about it,” said Duncan-Purcell, who recommends addressing issues while they’re small.

She said continuity is crucial for children, and that “hopscotching” from place to place is detrimental to growth.

“If it’s a good place for your child, then make every effort to make it work,” said Duncan-Purcell. “Unless your child is not safe, in which case you should pull them immediately.”

Things to remember
When looking for a provider, look for someone who will be able to provide care long term, even if your child is only 6 months old.

Also, said Duncan-Purcell, make sure you’ve resolved your personal issues about putting your child in care.

“If you don’t want to have to return to work and would rather stay home, take the time to resolve your personal issues,” she said. Much of the anxiety can be alleviated by taking the time to choose a provider you trust, and then building that relationship.

Most licensed facilities have an open-door policy, said Duncan-Purcell, so take the time to drop by and chat with the caregiver. Offer to help with field trips and other excursions.

Finally, if you’re only returning to work for the second income — and you love children — she encourages people to consider becoming a licensed child care provider.

“It’s a great career you can do from your home or apartment,” said Duncan-Purcell, who said CCCC can help you get started with classes and licensing. “And high-quality child care is really needed.”

— For more information about Community Connection for Child Care, call 861-5200 or 877-861-5200 (Toll free), go to: http://kcsos.kern.org/cccc/, or visit them in person at: 2000 24th St. Suite 100.

CCCC recommends approaching a potential day care facility as if from your child’s perspective:

• Who’s going to care for me?
• Are there plenty of toys I can reach and enjoy?
• Where will I keep my stuff?
• Is everyone having fun?
• What will I do all day?
Use your common “senses” when looking for a child care provider:
Look: Begin by visiting several child care homes or centers. Does the place look safe? Do the caregivers/teachers enjoy talking and playing with children? Do they talk with each child at the child’s eye level?
Listen: Do the children sound happy and involved? What about the teachers’ voices?
Count: Count the number of children in the group. Then count the number of staff. Obviously, the fewer the number of children for each adult, the more attention your child will get.
Ask: Ask the background and experience of all the staff.
Be informed: Find out more about efforts in your community to improve the quality of child care. is your caregiver involved in these activities? How can you get involved?

— Courtesy of CCCC

Filing complaints

In the event that complaints about a provider in licensed homes or centers arise, CCCC encourages families to contact Community Care Licensing at 559-243-4588 to make an official complaint and ask for the “officer of the day” to file a complaint. CCCC is not the licensing agency and therefore is not responsible for initiating or effecting corrective action.

To facilitate the process, please have the facility’s license number and have details relating to the complaint. By law, parents can ask to see a licensed child care center’s complaint file, which is considered public record and must be on site.