What to look for — a parent’s checklist

Here are 12 tips, based on Dr Sarah Alexander’s Formula for Remarkable Quality Early Childhood Education and Care

1. Not too many babies and children: No hard numbers, but “do you feel there are too many children for your child, that your child looks lost in the crowd?”

2. Lots of laughter, fun, cuddles and affection: “Little kids need to have fun, they need to have enjoyment in their lives, it can’t be all serious.”

3. Adults provide close supervision and always know what each child is doing: “Is there a child anywhere who is not being noticed or is out of sight of any teacher?”

4. There’s lots of talking, discussion and building of shared memories: “When you have an experience together, then you have something to talk about.”

5. Adults hold expectations for children’s learning and development: “During children’s play, the teacher should be very skilled at spotting just what little bit more the kids could be doing and introducing those teachable moments.”

6. There is heaps of play space inside and outside: “Children need to have access to some outdoor natural area during the day, to be able to see insects in the grass.”

7. There are a variety of play areas and materials, with opportunities also for children to learn about adult work, e.g. cooking and gardening: “A well set-up play environment with different activities and different choices so a child can go around and try different things.”

8. Safe noise levels are maintained: “If you have to raise your voice to be heard, that’s a key indicator that it’s not safe.” (Exceptions allowed for short-term events such as a music activity).

9. High attention is given to correct handwashing and hygiene practices: “Handwashing after going to the toilet, before eating and after touching your nose.”

10. Children’s interests, personality and family values are known, appreciated and responded to: “The child will come in and the teacher will bend down to the child and say, ‘I heard your dog, (dog’s name), has been sick, is he getting better?”’

11. There’s always something on offer, so more choices and less down-time (less passive watching, aimless wandering and screentime): “The teacher will notice a child who is not included and say, ‘Would you like to try this?’ or, ‘Shall we go and read a story?”’

12. Children’s personal privacy and space is respected, such as when using the toilet or wanting to be left alone to play uninterrupted: “A skilled teacher will notice if one little boy is interfering in what other kids are doing, and will say, ‘Come on, let’s go and do something else instead.’”