What You Want to See
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What You Don’t Want to See
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Group size is limited to no more than eight babies, with
at least one caregiver for every three children. Each
infant is able to form a bond with a primary caregiver,
and each caregiver can get to know a few babies very
well.
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Caregivers have too many children in their care to
respond to infants individually. Infants are moved from
group to group or cared for by whatever caregiver is
available at the time, preventing babies and caregivers
from forming important one-to-one relationships.
OR
Poor salaries and benefits or working conditions cause
high turnover in the program, depriving babies of the
security that comes from bonds with adults who care for
them
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Caregivers show warmth and support to infants throughout
the day, making eye contact and talking to them about
what is going on.
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Adults handle children in an impersonal or hurried
manner, without responding to babies’ sounds and letting
them know the adults are listening to them.
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Alert to babies’ cues, adults hold infants or move them
to a new place or position, giving them variety in what
they are able to look at and do.
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Babies are left in one position for too long or moved
around abruptly at the convenience of the adults.
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Caregivers pay close attention and talk to children
during routines such as changing diapers, feeding, and
changing clothes.
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Adults are inattentive to children’s needs or carry out
daily routines without warmth, not making a habit of
playing with or talking to babies.
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Caregivers talk, sing, and read to babies, enabling
infants to become familiar with language and ultimately
to recognize words and sounds.
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Babies spend long periods of time in cribs, playpens, or
seats without adult attention. Instead of responding to
babies’ coos and sounds, caregivers ignore and talk over
them.
OR
Adults are
careless about their words and tone around infants, or
they use limited language. Too much or too little
chatter by caregivers discourages babies from staying
alert and interested.
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Babies eat and sleep when they are most comfortable
doing so. Caregivers consider infants’ individual
preferences for food and styles of eating.
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Caregivers hold babies to rigid schedules of sleeping
and eating with concern only for the convenience of
adults.
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Caregivers follow standards for health and safety,
including proper hand washing to limit the spread of
infectious disease.
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Specific procedures for diapering (including hand
washing), cleaning cribs and play areas, and food
storage and preparation are not clearly thought out or
written down. Caregivers do not consistently maintain
safety conditions.
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Caregivers can see and hear infants at all times.
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Infants are left unattended at nap time.
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Parents and caregivers share children’s activities and
development on a daily basis, building a mutual
understanding and trust. Caregivers welcome parents to
drop by the Center.
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Instead of affirming the central role of parents in
their children’s development, caregivers dismiss or
ignore parent concerns and observations. Parents feel as
if they are in the way and only hear about the conflicts
or problems of the day.
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