Atlanta childcare: Compare Care and Plan Enrollment

Define your care schedule before contacting providers

Write down your child's age, start date, earliest drop-off and latest pickup. Include your travel time and name a backup adult who can collect your child. For school-age care, specify the school, dismissal time and the days you need coverage during school breaks.

Use the same request for each provider. Ask whether they have an opening for your child's age and schedule, which classroom your child would join, and whether they can meet any feeding, medication or accommodation needs. Request a tour and the enrollment agreement before sending money.

For a nanny or sitter, request references, experience with your child's age group and current pediatric CPR and first-aid training. Agree on duties, transportation, hours, pay and cancellation terms in writing. This page's regulatory guidance concerns Georgia child care learning centers; do not assume a private caregiver follows the center process. [3]

Check the exact center and its monitoring history

DECAL directs families to its provider-search resource to review monitoring visits and other provider information. Match the program name and address to the location you will tour. Georgia requires a separate center license or permit for each address or location, even when one owner operates multiple centers. [1] [3]

Ask the director to explain findings you do not understand and how staff corrected them. Georgia's center rules give parents the right to request a copy of the most recent licensure evaluation report from the director. Compare that report with what you observe during your visit. [3]

Discuss who will care for your child at opening, during staff breaks and near closing. Georgia requires directors and employees to have satisfactory comprehensive records-check determinations. Provisional employees need satisfactory fingerprint determinations and supervision by a director or employee with a current satisfactory comprehensive determination. Ask how the director manages that supervision throughout the day. [3]

Compare the full bill and usable care hours

Request a written quote for your child's age and attendance pattern. Include enrollment charges, deposits, meals, supplies, transportation and late pickup in your questions. Have the provider explain withdrawal notice and which payments they refund if your plans change before the start date.

Georgia requires centers to maintain a fee and payment schedule covering standard fees, absences, vacations, transportation and late fees. Centers must also describe operating days, hours and closures in their written policies. Compare those documents with your schedule before deciding which quote fits your budget. [3]

For Georgia Pre-K, request the classroom's start and finish times and calendar. DECAL specifies a free 6.5-hour instructional day, five days a week, 180 days a year. Ask for a separate quote for care before or after instruction and for days outside the instructional calendar. [2]

Discuss daily care and emergency arrangements

Visit the room your child would use and meet the assigned staff. Discuss feeding, naps, toileting and how caregivers respond when a child cries or struggles with transitions. For an infant, ask the caregiver to explain the sleep routine and show you the crib.

Georgia's center rules require staff to place infants on their backs to sleep unless a physician provides written authorization for another position. Staff must transfer infants who fall asleep in seats, swings or other equipment to approved cribs. The rules prohibit soft items such as pillows, quilts and stuffed toys in an infant's crib. [3]

Ask who holds current pediatric CPR and first-aid training in your child's classroom and during transportation. Georgia requires at least one staff member with both current credentials in each classroom while children are present. Centers must maintain emergency plans covering evacuation, relocation, communication and family reunification. [3]

Discuss allergies, medication and accommodation needs before enrollment. Georgia requires centers to make a reasonable effort to accommodate and integrate children with special needs in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and to document agreed accommodations in writing. Identify the staff responsible for your child's care arrangements. [3]

Georgia center outdoor activity minimums by regulatory age category

Choose the next step for your care arrangement

Your hiring checklist

1. Write down age, start date, attendance days, drop-off and pickup times.
2. Review the exact provider location and its monitoring records.
3. Tour the assigned classroom and discuss staffing throughout your child's day.
4. Request the complete fee schedule, closure calendar and refund terms.
5. Discuss feeding, sleep, allergies, medication and accommodation needs.
6. Compare Pre-K instructional hours with any additional care you need.
7. Confirm authorized pickup adults and emergency contacts before the first day.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I check a childcare center before enrolling?

Follow DECAL's provider-search guidance to review monitoring visits for the exact location. Request the center's most recent licensure evaluation report, tour the classroom and ask the director to explain findings and corrections. [1] [3]

Does Georgia Pre-K cover my full workday?

DECAL specifies a 6.5-hour instructional day, five days a week for 180 days. Compare that schedule with your work and travel hours. Ask the provider about additional care and its separate charges before enrolling. [2]

Can I get help paying for childcare?

CAPS assists low-income families during work, school, training and other work-related activities. Contact its Customer Response Unit at 1-833-442-2277 about eligibility and applications, then discuss your proposed provider. [4]

Which fees should I ask a center to explain?

Request standard tuition and charges for absences, vacations, transportation and late pickup, which Georgia requires centers to address in their fee schedules. Also ask about deposits, enrollment charges, refunds and withdrawal notice. [3]