Children after care services provide parents with an effortless and safe solution to have their kids looked after. These after care centres offer space for classes, relaxation and exercise. Children are looked after by trained staff until parents fetch their children. These after care centres are available for children of all ages.
Popular Children After Care Services Include:
Morning classes
An important need that South Africans have, is proper care for young children while parents are at work. Some children after care centres offer crèche services for small kids. Parents can drop them in the morning for half day or full day caretaking. Their schedules include:
- Time to eat
- Play time
- Learning time
- Time for rest or sleep
Afternoon care
The second group of South African children that need quality care from these centres, is children who attend school. After care centres for them are sometimes hosted by schools, though there are many private centres too.
Homework assistance
The South African school system puts a high priority on homework. After care centres add value to their services by offering homework assistance for children they look after. Certain times are allocated for homework projects and staff are knowledgeable to help them as needed.
Holiday packages
South African parents can’t always get leave during holidays. During these times children after care centres serve a valuable purpose by hosting holiday programmes. Children can relax in a safe environment, so parents don’t have to worry about them. The centres organise interesting activities and entertainment so children can enjoy their holidays.
Transport services
Many children after care centres help South African parents with logistical challenges by offering transport services. This is an excellent solution so parents don’t have to rush from and to work to drop kids at the centre. This service is also used to transport children to extracurricular activities when needed.
5 Tips when you need Children After Care Services
1. Do background checks
You need to confirm that the centre you put your child in treats him or her with care and respect. Ask other parents about their experiences with a centre, the history of the company and its staff. In this way you know you’re entrusting your child to a reputable centre.
2. Visit without warning
The best way to put your mind at rest about a centre’s quality and value is to make unscheduled visits. If staff can’t prepare for your arrival, you know you’re seeing the truth of daily activities. Check up on the following:
- Do children seem happy or scared?
- Is the kitchen clean and sanitary?
- Are all children well supervised?
- Are children being treated well?
3. Ask about safety measures
Accidents happen quickly, but many of them can be prevented if correct safety measures are in place. Ask the after care centre about security measures, as well as procedures they follow if something goes wrong. Do they teach the children these procedures so your child will know what to do in a crisis?
4. Are the staff members capable?
If you want the centre’s staff to assist your child with homework, you must know they’re capable of this task. Ask about their training and strengths so you know you can trust them to adequately help your child.
5. Disciplinary problems
Discipline is necessary, but it’s possible that alternative procedures may not work as well as that which your child is accustomed to. Ask the after care centre to handle disciplinary procedures in line with how you handle it at home. This will help your child feel comfortable at the centre.