When it comes to entrusting the care of your child to a day care center, there’s a lot to consider. First and foremost, parents want a safe, nurturing environment, where they know their children will be well taken care of. Then there’s the location and cost to consider. And on top of all that — even if parents find the center of their dreams — is there room for their child, or will they have to take their chances on a waitlist?
And the pandemic exacerbated an already major problem —a lack of staff and availability at day care centers across the country. Where do things stand today? What are the red and green flags parents should look for when trying to find care? We discuss all this, and more, on the next Charlotte Talks.
GUESTS:
Elliot Haspel, an early childhood and K-12 education policy expert and author of the book “Crawling Behind: America’s Child Care Crisis and How to Fix”
Cindy Lehnhoff, director of the National Child Care Association
Jacquie Simmons, project director for the NC Child Care Health and Safety Resource Center.
