Who to Call When You Have Childcare Concerns

As a working parent, each detail needs to run smoothly. Childcare is one of the most important parts that must work properly, as it involves the small people dearest to you. What should you do if you find yourself in a situation where you must use childcare, but you have problems with your provider? Here are some ideas on where to turn when childcare goes wrong:

        Assess the Problem- What kind of trouble are you having with your childcare provider? Depending on the severity of your complaint, you will want to pursue different avenues with your concerns.  If your concern is with small details and you have a good relationship with your provider, then you may be able to speak with them directly. If it is something that is not easily confronted face to face and requires accountability on the part of the childcare provider, you may need to contact whoever is in charge of regulating day homes or daycares in your area. If the issue is of a criminal nature, you will need to contact the police.

Figure Out Who Is Directly in Charge- This will depend on what type of childcare you are using. If your child is in a public daycare, it should be fairly straightforward as to whom to contact about childcare issues. There should be someone in charge of each daycare who you can speak to about employees. If it is the manager you have an issue with, then take it to whoever is in charge of the group of daycares, if this applies.  If you are using a day home in someone’s private residence, it will be a different matter. Depending on where you live, there might even be different kinds of day homes. In some areas, there are both registered and unregistered day homes. Registered day homes will have a governing authority in charge of them who can receive complaints about individual day homes. Your day home might also be part of an agency you went through originally, in which case you can report the matter directly to them.  Private day homes are a trickier situation, as it is often a lone individual who both owns and works at the day home. If the matter is serious, report it to the police. If the matter is an interpersonal conflict, or a disagreement on how to run the home, you should approach the person you are having trouble with. If this approach does not work, you may be forced to find a new childcare location for your child.

      Word of Mouth- One of the most powerful marketing tools in today’s world is word of mouth, which includes the internet. If you are dealing with a deceptive or troublesome childcare provider and no one is able to solve the problem, use word of mouth to warn others not to get involved. There may be local online parenting groups where you can voice your complaints that will get the word out to others as a warning.

Childcare is a very important facet of life that can have a huge impact on the health and well being of your family. If you are having trouble with your provider, try to resolve the issue immediately in order to gain peace of mind. Know where to go with your concerns so that things can get back on track and you can continue your productive life of work and family.