STRATEGIES FOR ASSESSING STANDARD OF DAY CARE CENTRES BY PARENTS IN ONDO TOWN

Abstract

The study investigated the strategies for assessing the standard of day care centers by parents in Ondo town. It adopted a survey research design. The population comprised all parents and all child development specialists in Ondo town. Purposive sampling technique was used to select 146 of both parents and child development specialists across the town. Questionnaire was used for data collection. Mean was used for the analysis. Findings reveal security measures to be put in place in childcare centres include; security officers on patrol (3.76), fencing and gate across the building (3.95), prohibiting visitors from having access to the children without the parents’ knowledge (3.98) among others. Criteria for measuring the competency of personnel in daycare centres among others were pre-requisite knowledge and qualifications in the area of child development (3.08), tolerance with children (3.89) and ability to elicit children’s ideas (3.52). Hygiene maintenance to be put in place among others includes play equipment are to be cleaned and sanitized from time to time (3.73), play areas are to be regularly mopped with antiseptics (3.76) and separate room for a sick child (3.71). It was therefore, recommended that, parents should take time to make their findings of any childcare centre in the area of safety, competency of personnel (owner and workers) and hygiene before patronizing the centre and no visitor should be allowed access to any child without prior notification to the parent.