Your Top Two Questions for a Childcare Provider

[nannynick]

What are the Top Two Questions you would ask a childcare provider?

For example, when looking for childcare one of your top questions to ask may be to do with opening hours, or fees, or activities they would do with your child, how much experience they had caring for children etc.

With my problems finding a childminder (see other thread)
Can you do the school run?
Will you try not to actually kill my children?

If I had a choice
Food - nice & healthy with plenty of fruit
Activities - plenty of fresh air & messy play eg painting

Thats a tough one as there are about 5 essential things. But narrowed down to 2:

1)Will you cover the hours we need? - because if she/he doesn't then no point even asking number ?

2. Would it be ok if you were to give me the contact numbers for your other mindees parents ?

Bit of a cheat this one but the best way to find out if the children are happy which to me is the most important thing. I'm glad to say that our CM got a fab review from the parent I phoned so much so that I didn't bother phoning the other one, I felt I had learnt everything I needed to know.

Hmm, it would depend what kind of childcare I suppose. The questions I asked the nursery where my son goes were different than that questions I asked candidates for my temp nanny role.

For the nursery I guess the 2 key questions were:

1. What does a typical look like here for an x month old child

1. Whatis your staff turnover rate

For the nanny

1. What relevant experience do you bring to this role and why do you think you are a suitable candidate

1. What kind of activities do you think are appropriate for an x month old?

HTH

Spud

For a childminder, mine would be

Do you have children?

Do you have a dog?

what age are we talking?

for a nursery for eg I would ask

Do you kiss and cuddle the children if they are upset

Do you cook all food freshly on site

My DS is at nursery at started at 6 months.

When i had established that i liked the nursery and was happy with it i was adamant that they shouldn't bounce or rock him to sleep and watch for his cues for sleep/eating etc rather than trying to bend him into a routine which was for their benefit not his.

(and that they would give cuddles and affection etc)

Many thanks for the replies so far... please do keep them coming.

It does not matter what age your children are... and don't feel you have to rank your questions, the first two that spring to mind will do fine.

It is interesting to see the replies so far... loved the "Will you try not to actually kill my children?"

I hope that by asking parents what their top two questions are for a childcare provider, that it will help all of us who are childcare providers, as it will give us a much better indication of what parents are thinking about when they look for childcare.

Please do keep adding your Top Two Questions (or first two questions that spring to mind)