The big first day at a childcare centre can be nerve-wracking for everyone, not just the children. Parents and guardians want to know that their little ones are going to be looked after and cared for in the best way possible. Here are five things that they want to see in a childcare centre:
1. A Warm, Caring Environment
It’s no surprise that a 2019 YouGov Galaxy survey of working mums found that the most important factor for them in choosing a childcare centre was the “warmth of caregiving”.
We know that warm, caring environments help children grow up to be confident, mentally resilient, emotionally mature and kind. It helps them to learn better, make friends, and most importantly, be happy.
During open days, parents and guardians will pay close attention to the atmosphere of the centre and how attached their children are to the carers and educators. When there are smiles and laughter all around, their minds are put at ease.
2. Valuable Learning Experiences
Parents and guardians are increasingly aware of the fact that the early years are a valuable time for education. They want their children to have a head start in life, whether that means learning to count, picking up basic Spanish or Mandarin through the ELLA program, or something as simple as working on their creativity and motor skills.
In addition, it’s also important for parents and guardians to know that their children are going to work on activities that will help them flourish in learning social skills, developing their emotional intelligence, and other soft skills.
3. Frequent Updates About Their Children
Little updates can put parents’ and guardians’ minds at ease about their children’s time at daycare. Providing them with a video of their child singing the alphabet song, a quick message celebrating that they happily shared their toys today or even a photo of the tower they made with building blocks can make a huge difference in making them feel like their children are happy, growing emotionally, learning and making friends.
The more a parent and guardian knows about what their child does at daycare, the more they can help them practise the same tasks and skills at home. What’s more, they will feel like they can trust you to communicate with them — whether the information is good or bad. They will also be more receptive to potential bad news because they know that you have their child’s best interests and wellbeing at heart.
4. Flexibility
Life can be chaotic at times for everyone – but especially for working parents! They need flexibility and childcare that is going to make their life more manageable, not harder. For more than 1 in 3 working mums, flexibility is one of the top three factors they look for when choosing a childcare centre.
Parents and guardians look for childcare centres that are going to accommodate their ever-changing schedules, everything from being able to amend existing bookings and signing up for half-days, to reshuffling their schedule on a weekly basis. Ideally, this would be without penalties or restrictively long notice periods.
5. Easy Enrolment, Booking and Payments
Is flexible booking really useful, if parents and guardians need to ring you between 3.00pm and 6.00pm on weekdays to make any changes?
With tools like iEnrol, iCheck-In, and iParentPortal, parents and guardians can do everything online: enrolment, documentation, payment, booking and more. It’s quick, simple and easy. They won’t need to print off lengthy forms at the internet café or arrive at work late because there was a long queue to pay this month’s fees.
Get in touch with Kidsoft today to learn more about how we can help you provide better services for children and parents alike. A free demo can easily be set up for you to see for yourself.
