How to Check a Child-Care Center
Parents seeking child care should make their first check with the Children’s Home Society of California for a list of licensed day-care space, county officials say.
The society operates a telephone hot line Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The number is 714-KID-CARE.
Also, county officials urge parents to visit prospective day-care homes, sometimes unannounced.
The county Social Services Agency provides a pamphlet with safety checks that parents can make. They include:
- Pools must be surrounded by a 5-foot fence with a self-latching gate.
- Homes caring for infants must not have stairways accessible to the children.
- Food preparation areas must be clean and the food must be properly stored in sealed containers or a refrigerator.
- Toxic chemicals for cleaning or medicine must be stored in a secured cabinet.
- There also must be sufficient play areas for the number of children to be cared for in the facility.
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