Assess Your Needs

Consider, for example, how each of the following might figure into your search:

• Schedule and duration: How soon do you need care to begin? Do you need full-time or part-time care? Are your work hours “standard” or “non-standard”? Do your hours change, requiring flexibility in your child care schedule? What are your feelings about continuity of care -- how long would this arrangement last, ideally?
• Cost: What can you afford to pay? Do you plan to use the federal tax credit or MIT's Dependent Care Reimbursement Program or other dependent care assistance plan ? These programs reduce your cost but also include certain restrictions .
• Location: How do you presently commute to work, and at what times? Would you prefer child care close to home, to your work, or to your partner's work? Do you need child care near public transportation? Do you work at home occasionally or frequently? Who will be picking up and dropping off your child and having contact with the caregiver each day? Do you imagine yourself dropping in during the day to visit, nurse, or have lunch with your child? Where is your child's pediatrician located?
• Preferences: What are you more comfortable with: a small, informal group, or a larger, planned program? One caregiver, or several caregivers who can offer each other support and/or supervision? One-to-one care, or peer interaction? How concerned are you about colds, flu, or ear infections?
• Values: It is important to find a caregiver whose approach is consistent with your values. Think about what personal qualities, routines, and environmental characteristics would suggest a good match.

Develop a picture of your child's needs, considering such factors as age, developmental stage, temperament, health, and personal history. The following age-related guidelines may help:

Infants	Toddlers	Preschoolers
Infants need a calm, relaxed environment; consistency in caregivers and routines; caregivers who are physically and emotionally available to hold, respond, and interact; a maximum child:caregiver ratio of 3:1; appropriate objects offering visual interest, comfortable textures, and response to touch; safe opportunities for mobility and exploration. Young infants need to follow their own sleeping and eating schedules.	Toddlers need close supervision and personal attention; a maximum child:caregiver ratio of 4:1; consistent and positive limit setting; opportunities for language development through playful exchanges; encouragement to do things for themselves; space to move about; a great deal of schedule flexibility and not much regimentation; and appropriate materials for play, exploration and discovery.	Preschoolers need consistent and supportive responses from adults; opportunities for choice; accessible materials and appropriate activities that provide challenge and novelty; opportunities to increase skills including language, motor, and problem solving; opportunities to develop their understanding of the world; and help with learning how to interact and negotiate with peers.