Here are some tips when evaluating daycare providers:
1. How are the staff treating the children during your visit? Do you see a lot of kids crying and no one paying attention? Are the staff paying attention to the kids and responding to them?
2. Facility - is is a clean well lit place? Check if bathrooms are clean and ventilated. Is the location airy & bright or dark & dingy? Are the changing tables and food related areas clean?
3. Safety - look for furniture with rounded corners and easy access to wash hands. Check is children of the same age group are segregated from other age groups. See if cleaning materials and medicine cabits are kept locked and also out of reach of kids.
4. License - does the provider have a license?
5. Program - does the provider have a program for the kids appropriate to their age? Is the academic level to your expecation? Does the program cover sensory learning?
6. Talk to the teachers and managers about how issues are resolved. Trust your instinct and observe their body language. Issues and problems will crop up unexpectedly and see how cooperative the providers are for working the issue.