Quality Child Care Matters: Respect for Children and Families

Renowned early childhood educator, Magda Gerber, had a philosophy of respect for parents and their needs as well as their children and their needs.

Child care providers who provide quality care settings are respectful in their interactions with the children in their care as well as with the children's families. Children are seen first and foremost as having a human right to be treated with respect as opposed to having needs to be met. Exemplary child care providers allow children opportunities to make safe choices throughout their day, valuing each child's individuality and the decisions they make based upon their preferences.

Early childhood professionals who provide quality care create environments and experiences which are not only developmentally appropriate for the children but are also meaningful to the children. They also afford children time to play/work on tasks allowing children to develop mastery. Providers should let children to do what they are capable of, assisting in specific areas when needed, allowing children to develop feelings of competency.

Child care providers who cultivate quality environments listen to children and what they are trying to communicate. Recognizing the importance of social-emotional learning they teach them to interact in positive ways with others. Quality providers allow children to experience their feelings and have appropriate expectations for behavior based upon their developmental level.

When teachers treat children in a nurturing manner, an attachment forms between the child and the provider setting the stage for learning. As a parent looking for child care it is important to ask about staff turnover by inquiring how long providers have been at the facility.

Additionally, quality child care environments include parents as equal partners with regular communication about their child's progress. Parents are asked to share information about their child with the provider(s) in order to care for the child as an individual and provide continuity of care between child care and home. Parents should meet with providers prior to enrolling in care not only to visit the facility with your Quality Child Care Checklist, observe teacher interactions and the physical environment, but also to begin developing a rapport with their potential provider.

Read more about showing respect for children in our post "Five Critical Emotional Needs of Children".