Often selecting the right child care can be overwhelming for parents. Is the center in the right location? Is it convenient for work? Do they provide transportation? Can I afford the monthly cost? The list goes on and on. All of these are important when choosing child care; however, there are other factors that all parents need to address. That is why Eyewitness News has teamed up with The First Years Institute and The Department of Human Services to help parents, like you, make informed decisions.

Every Tuesday I will bring you the Child Care Report Card. It is my hope that the information I provide you in these reports will ultimately help you make informed decision about your child’s care. As the weeks progress, I will highlight various child care facilities, explain their ratings and tell you how they achieved it. This information should be used as a guide in your child care search. As a companion to the Child Care Report Card, a Public Service campaign will be used to link positive parental / caregiver behaviors that should be used at home and in all child care situations.

Before you begin visiting child care centers, I urge you to visit the Department of Human Services website: http://state.tn.us/humanserv/index.htm.

There you can get a complete listing of child care providers by zip code and see how they measure up in their Star Quality Child Care Report Card. Remember, your child is important. Be knowledgeable, aware and proactive in your child care search and demand the best.

Tenikka Smith
Eyewitness News Reporter