The decision to seek childcare is an important one. A good program can be a wonderful positive experience for your child. There are several options for childcare. There are Home-based care and Center-based care. The Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services offers more specific information about regulated  facilities. Call 1-800-862-5252 for more information on choosing quality childcare.

Put Yourself In Your Kid's Shoes
When finding childcare options for your family, remember to look at things from your child’s point of view.

Infants / Toddlers

• Does my caregiver keep my room safe, clean and sanitary?
• Do I hear other babies cry a lot?
• What happens when I cry?
• Can I play on the floor?
• Does my caregiver get down on the floor to play and talk with me?
• Is the toy I'm chewing on clean arid sanitized?
• Will my caregiver hold and love me especially when I’m cranky?
• Is my diaper changed promptly?
• Do I have a special place to have my diaper changed?
• Am I fed when I am hungry?
• Do I get to go outside?

Pre Schoolers

• Does the teacher seem happy to see me each day when I arrive?
• What is the size of my group?
• Do I get to move around when I need to?
• Do I get to do my artwork my own way?
• Are there plenty of toys for me to play with?
• What happens when I break the rules?
• Do I get to go outside everyday?
• Do I have lots of good things to eat?
• What does my teacher do with me when I don’t feel like taking a nap?
• What happens if I don’t feel good during the day?
• Do I have the same teacher everyday?

School Agers

• Do I have something comfortable to sit on?
• Do I get enough to eat?
• Are there a lot of fun things to do?
• Is there a place I can go run, yell, and play?
• Is there a quiet place to go to read a book or do my homework if I want to?
• Will I get to go on field trips?
• Do I have my own seat belt on the van?
• Are there any special activities like gymnastics, karate, or dance?
• Does my teacher guide us to make sure we treat each other fairly?

Child Care Training
Youth & Family Counseling Services is dedicated to being a resource to the community to help prevent child abuse. One of the goals of the Agency is to provide a wide range of local training for the development of well qualified childcare providers in a professional manner. The Resource Department has on going programs on Shaken Baby Syndrome, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, Infant Brain Development, and Child Development. Please call for the current class schedule or to register for the next available class.

Youth & Family Counseling Services co-sponsors several events each year to provide training at low cost locally.  Call or email for information about the next session.