INTERVIEWING PARENTS
Nancy F. Morse, M.A.
Instructor
Human Development and Family Studies
Parkland College, Champaign, Illinois
Interviews help you and the parents decide if your center - and your
program philosophy - are right for the child. Each child is unique. Each
family is unique. Each child care program is unique. Children do best in
situations in which the philosophy of the program and the views of parents
are similar. And the child care program will do best if what you offer is
compatible with what the parents need and expect. If your hours are from 7
a.m. to 6 p.m., you are asking for trouble if you accept a family in which
both parents work until 6 o'clock. Here are some ideas for conducting a
successful interview.
PICK A GOOD TIME.
Schedule the interview so that both the parent and the child can come.
Also, pick a time when you will be able to concentrate on the interview.
BEFORE THE INTERVIEW.
Make a list of the information you want to share. Talk about your hours
and fees, the ages and number of children in your center, if you take sick
children and how sick they can be, meal procedures, what the children will
do during the day, your approach to discipline, and your goals for
children. It helps to have your policies written down in a handbook that
you can give to the parents.
Make a list of the information you want to find out. You will want to
know the hours care is needed, what the parents expect of you, their views
on bringing up children, their approach to discipline, the types of
activities they would like for their child, and their view of how children
should be prepared for school. You will also want to observe the parent
and child together. This is why it is important to have the child along.
DURING THE INTERVIEW.
Make the child comfortable with an appropriate activity. The child will
probably want to remain close to the parent while you talk.
- Start informally. Talk a bit about yourself and the center. Find out
a bit about the child and his family. You may want to ask things such as
how old the child is, if he has any brothers or sisters, and if the family
lives in the neighborhood.
- Exchange information. Talk about your policies and your contract,
your program philosophy, and the forms parents will need to sign.
Encourage the parent to talk about his needs and expectations. Have an
honest discussion. Don't try to convince parents that your methods are
best or bend your convictions in order to go along with their ideas. Be
sure to listen carefully to the parents questions and answer them
honestly.
- Go on a tour. Show the parent around all parts of the center. This is
also a good time to observe how the parent and child act toward each
other. You may want to allow some time for the child to play in the room
they would be in.
Allow time for reflection. At the end of the interview, arrange to meet
again to clarify any questions that may come up after the interview. If it
is impossible to have a second meeting, at least arrange to talk again by
phone. Then, you'll be ready to make a final decision.
SET UP A TRIAL PERIOD.
It is often a good idea to start new children on a trial basis for
three or four weeks. This will make it easier for either you or the parent
to end the arrangement if it is not working out well.
At start of interview, fill in this
information:
Date: _______________________ Time: ______________________________
Names of people attending Interview: ________________________________
Name of child _________________________________Birth date_________________
Name of child _________________________________Birth date_________________
Name of child _________________________________Birth date_________________
If you require references, ask Parents to fill this in: (can put on
separate piece of paper)
Parent References:
Name: __________________________ Relationship: _____________ Ph#:
_________
Name: __________________________ Relationship: _____________ Ph#:
_________
Name: __________________________ Relationship: _____________ Ph#:
_________
Ask Parents during interview:
What are your discipline beliefs? _____________________________________
________________________________________________________________
What are your expectations of the program? / What do you want your
childcare provider to do with/for your child?
_____________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
On the phone you stated that you needed care on
___________________(days) from ________ to _________ (times).
Are these dates and times still accurate?
_______________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Does your child have any allergies to foods, medicines or just allergies
in general? _________________________________________________________ If
yes, is (s)he being seen by a medical professional? ____________________.
Briefly go over ___rates and ____expectations of parents (___payment
policy, ____hours of business, ____vacation and sick day policies, explain
____daily schedule, show samples of ____ lesson plans or learning
activities, _____show parents around the areas used by the children, ____
share menu with parents.
Provide references. (I have a few in a folder that I ask them to read. I
use this time to interact with the child to get a better feel for whether
the child and I will be a good match. I also provide the parents with a
telephone and email listing of all the parents, present and past, that
have agreed to act as references for me. I encourage the parents to take
the list home and contact a few on the list.)
______share any certifications, licenses, trainings, etc.
After Interview Reflection:
How did parent show interest in the childs behavior during the interview
(Parent/Child Interaction)?
______________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Did parent show a willingness to be flexible and adapt to my rules?
______________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Signs that the child may be difficult to care for: (Did child listen, was
child destructive or disrespectful,
etc)________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Did the parent treat me with respect and have a positive attitude?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Will the days and hours needed fit within my program or requirements?
_____________