There are hundreds of policies, laws and legislations in place to ensure that daycare for children is of the best quality it can be, yet for parents who have never placed their child in daycare, the whole experience can be a little daunting. Here's how to distinguish a good nursery from a bad one and ensure your child enjoys their first dose of independence...

Firstly, like anything you're going to invest in, look up reviews of the establishment and ask the opinions of parents who already send their child there. Are there any horror stories, and if so, are these from years ago before new management came in? This is a step you should take before calling up the establishment to ask to have a look around. Don't feel that this obligates you to sign up – it doesn't. Nurseries and day care centers are forever giving walk-rounds to parents who are simply having a look.

If you've just given birth or are trying to conceive then don't think it's too early to start looking. The best quality day care centers will be fully booked up and with a waiting list of months or even years, so get your name on there now if you find a place you like, and don't feel silly going to look when you're pregnant or if you have no intention of sending your child there yet.

When you walk around, take a close look at how the staff are interacting with the children (don't just keep in an eye lock with the person showing you round). This is crucial to how your child may or may not feel safe in this environment and you need to know that if your child needs something, he or she will be attended to right away. Are there lots of children crying and do the staff look stressed? Or are they playing happily, with staff playing along with children and talking to them too? Don't be alarmed if the staff aren't talking to each other – they will do so when it's necessary but apart from that they may be more concerned with how the children are feeling.

Ask to see the kitchen, if you're not shown it straight away. Obviously, check to see that it is clean and there are charts on the wall to show the weekly menu and that the chef displays his or her food hygiene qualifications. Ask about how often the children get fed, where they get fed and if your child has any allergies/intolerances, ask about how that is dealt with.

Finally, ask about the staff qualifications. If not all of them are qualified, then how is this managed? Is there a qualified individual with the unqualified individual at all times? Are there staff undertaking training at the moment?

Much of going to look at different day care centers and nurseries is about common sense. You know exactly what your worries are so don't ever be afraid to double check they are dealt with adequately. Just remember to take a good look at the dynamic within the nursery and how the staff are with the children. Disorganization comes part and parcel with this type of establishment, but when it gets to disarray with stressed staff and unhappy kids, this is a nursery that has gone too far.

Stan Tian

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