Finding child care

One of the hardest things about being a parent is having to entrust your little ones to someone else's care.

"Your child is the most valuable thing you have in your life," said Michelle Longoria, resource specialist at Child and Family Resources Inc. "You don't want to give that child over to just anybody."

But if you're new in town, or if your friends and family are not available to help watch your children, you may be wondering where you can find safe, quality child care.

The agency's Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) program may have the answer. The program provides free information about child care options in the Yuma area as well as which child-care providers are certified and monitored by any state agency or CCR&R.

Child-care providers registered with CCR&R must be fingerprinted, pass background checks, provide proof of current CPR and first aid training, fence any pools, lock up any firearms and store any ammunition separately. Providers that do not meet registry requirements or are not certified or monitored by any state agency are not listed with CCR&R.

"Because of the safeguards that are in place, I think children are more likely to be harmed in their own homes," Longoria said. Still, parents must be diligent when determining whether a potential provider is suited to care for their child.

Never leave your child with anyone you haven't met first, she warned.

And when visiting a potential child-care provider for the first time, the most important thing to notice is how you feel, she said. You can walk into a friendly, beautiful home or center and "if there's just something inside you - a gut feeling - that tells you something is wrong, then don't leave your child."

And don't wait until the last minute to find child care, she said. If your provider suddenly calls one afternoon, saying she can't watch your child the next day, do not look for "emergency" child care and just drop your child off with a stranger the next morning.

Instead, take the morning off from work and spend that time looking for and visiting with another provider, she said. "You will miss four hours of work, but you will have four hours to look for quality care for your child.

"Make that child your priority."

Some things to look for in quality child care

MOST IMPORTANT

Do you feel comfortable leaving your child there?

Will your child be happy?

Can you make unannounced visits to the child-care program?

THE BASICS

What do the children do all day?

How are behavior issues handled?

What happens when children become ill?

THE PLACE

It it bright and cheerful?

Is there space for active and quiet play?

Is the outdoor area shaded?

THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

Are activities appropriate for your child's age?

Are children enjoying activities?

Are infants playing outside their cribs?

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Is it safe and clean both indoors and outdoors?

Do staff and children wash their hands frequently?

Are emergency procedures planned and posted?

THE CHILDREN

Are children happy and relaxed?

Do children relate well to each other?

Do children interact positively with adults?

THE STAFF

Is there enough staff to give children individual attention?

Are they warm and friendly?

How much training do they have?

Source: Child Care Resource & Referral. Pick up a more detailed checklist at Child & Family Resources, 1020 S. 4th Ave, Suite A. They can also be reached by phone at 1-928-783-4003, or on the Web at www.childfamilyresources.org.

What is the minimum age requirement for babysitters in Arizona?

"Arizona does not have any laws, guidelines or recommendations on a babysitter's age that I could find," said Clint Norred, public information officer with the Yuma Police Department. But from birth to age 6, children should be cared for by a licensed adult, he said. "As a parent, that's my opinion."

Children in that age bracket require close supervision, and sometimes 12- or 13-year-old babysitters still have short attention spans themselves, he said.

But "common sense and maturity obviously play a part," he said.

Many babysitters in our area are about 13 years old to 15 years old, he said. Parents have a pretty good gauge when it comes to determining whether a babysitter has the level of common sense, maturity and experience needed to care for small children, and the state of Arizona leaves it up to the parent to make that decision, he said.

However, if a child is harmed while under a young babysitter's care, the parents could be charged with negligence or endangerment, depending on the circumstances. But as a police officer, Norred has not experienced that type of call, and he does not think it is a common problem in the Yuma area.

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Nancy Gilkey can be reached at ngilkey@yumasun.com or 539-6851.