The child care checklist every parent should have
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How do you find a good day care? Video by kgun9.com
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Michelle Saint Hilarie, Child Care Resource & Referral program director, said parents have resources at their disposal when choosing child care facilities.
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The Mini-Skool child care facility has come under scrutiny since a two-year-old boy walked right out of the facility unnoticed.
Reporter: Cory Marshall
Web Producer: Mekita Rivas
TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) - Inside the Tucson-area Child Care Resource & Referral call center, staff said parents don't usually call until something has happened to their child.
Four years ago, that was the case for Tashiana Holt when she enrolled her daughter at the Mini-Skool Learning Center on Limberlost Drive -- the same child care at the center of a police investigation.
Last Thursday, a two-year-old boy walked right out of the facility unnoticed. The toddler was gone for more than an hour. According to the boy's mother, the child care didn't know her son was missing until police showed up.
Holt said she pulled her daughter from the Mini-Skool location after she was sent home with three accident reports in one day.
"You're putting your child in someone else's hands to support your child," Holt said. "It's just a big concern when you're worrying all day and you can't really do your job."
The CCRR works under the non-profit, Child & Family Resources Incorporated. The non-profit provides free consumer child care information including a detailed child care checklist.
Aside from research, Child Care Resource & Referral Program Director Michelle Saint Hilarie said parents should take the list when visiting each childcare program.
"Parents need to learn what their options are when it comes to childcare," Saint Hilarie said.
Included on the checklist:
-- Supervision, ratio and group size
-- Daily activities/environment
-- Program/accreditation
-- Caregiver education and turnover
-- Health and safety
-- Family involvement
Saint Hilarie said it's a red flag if the child care center doesn't have an open door policy.
"It's your child (and) you have the right to visit your child at any time and any place," she said.
As for the Mini-Skool investigation, Tucson Police told 9OYS the investigation is still open and criminal charges are pending.
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