I can understand your feelings, even though I run a home daycare. I would definitely start by asking for referrals from anyone you know who has their kids in care. That makes a lot of parents more comfortable - knowing someone else has had a good experience in a care situation. I would do a lot of shopping around, perhaps including daycare centers, homes and church daycares.

Don't hesitate to ask a lot of questions of the provider, including how he/she feels about dropping in for visits. There are a lot of providers on this board that would not allow it on a regular basis, so I think that's something that may vary from person to person. Communication is key to having a good relationship with any provider.

One thing you might want to consider is that in many states church daycares do not have to follow the same regulations/standards that other licensed centers or caregivers do.

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