Making the decision to enroll your child in a childcare centre for the first time can be quite difficult. If you are looking for help online, it can be even harder. There are many myths about childcare centres and it can be hard to separate the fact from the fiction. If you are considering childcare options for your child, here are five myths about childcare centres that you must avoid.

They Are Too Expensive

It is true that childcare can be a major expense. However, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t quality options available to you and your family for prices that fit your budget. You can find these options in a variety of ways. You could ask other parents what their child care costs are, as well as what they think of the centres where their children are enrolled. You could also use a child care search engine. These specially-designed websites will let you put in all of your preferences, including cost, days, times, ages, and other offerings. The search engine will then return a list of places to choose from that meet all of your requirements.

They Are Always Dirty

This may be the most common myth that you’ll hear: that childcare centres are full of germs and dirt. In actuality, a good childcare centre is probably one of the cleanest places in which your child will be cared for. There are strict standards that centres must meet and follow on cleaning toys and surfaces, food sanitation, nappy changes, and even employee handwashing and other hygiene. If you’re in doubt about these policies for any place, a reputable centre should have no problem answering your questions.

They Are Not Very Safe

The safety of your child is likely the most important part of your decision. There is a myth that childcare centres are full of broken toys or dangerous playground equipment. The truth is a reputable childcare centre should be conducting regular inspections of all toys and equipment. The staff should remove and replace broken toys quickly, while broken or worn playground equipment should be fixed to ensure the safety of all children.

There Are Too Many Children in Each Room

This is another common myth. The truth is that the ratio of children to teachers in childcare centres is set and enforced by the government. If your child is under three, then the requirement is a maximum of one adult to every four children in most states and territories. Once your child reaches three years of age, the ratio stays pretty low at a maximum of one adult to every 11 children. This ensures that your children are always well looked after by an attentive caregiver, rather than being lost in the crowd.

The Children Don’t Learn Anything

As a parent, one of your most important jobs is helping your child learn about the world around them. You therefore may likely be concerned about the quality of their education in a childcare centre. While not formal schools, childcare centres often do have formal curriculum plans for preschool and older children. For younger children, many centres plan out activities to help develop life, social, and motor skills. Your child could learn valuable skills such as sharing, getting along with others, gross motor skills such as running and skipping, fine motor skills such as holding a crayon or a pencil, and even early reading skills such as letter or number identification.

Choosing a childcare centre for your child can be complicated, but it can also come with lots of benefits for you and your family. Look for a centre that meets your budget and programme offering requirements. Next, ask the centre about their cleaning and safety protocols, as well as their curriculum plans. Then, take all of that information and consider it carefully to make the best decision for the care of your child.