Look for day care schools that are registered or licensed with your state. Understand that licensed day care centers must meet stringent regulations imposed by the state that are designed to ensure healthy, well-rounded care is provided to children in a safe environment. States require licensed day care schools to complete thorough background checks. Gaining licensing from the state demonstrates a measure of professionalism and responsibility on the part of the day care center. Ask the day care if it is licensed or check yourself online at the National Child Care Information Center.
Look for evidence of accreditation. Don't rely on state licensing alone. Look for a school that is accredited by the National Association of the Education of Young Children or the National Association for Family Child Care. Such accreditation indicates the school has met early childhood program standards and passed an on-site inspection. Since many states do not perform on-site examinations of day care schools they license, looking for an additional mark of quality such as a school that is accredited by the NAEYC may give you insight into the level of care you can expect your child to receive.
Visit the day care schools you are interested in. Talk with the staff and look for adult caregivers that are warm and nurturing. Ask the staff or caregiver what training or experience in child development she has. Look for caregivers with college degrees in early childhood education or a background in teaching young children. Ask other questions such as "How long has the child care been in business?" and "Have criminal history background checks been conducted on each adult present?"
Look for schools with small child-to-staff ratios and caregivers or staff that have a track record of staying with the center or school for multiple years. Consistency in caregivers present is important to the development of young children.