Parent guide
Questions to ask on a child care tour
What to look for and what to ask when you visit a child care centre in Chilliwack, with a short checklist to take along.
By Autumn Child Care · Published
General guide. This guide is general advice for any centre you visit. What Autumn offers is in the last section, and the centre will answer anything else on your tour.
Before you go
Write down the few things that decide it for your family: your child’s age, the days and hours you need, the month you hope to start, and your budget after any BC funding. A short list keeps the visit focused, and you can compare centres on the same points afterwards.
Check the licence
Licensed child care in BC is inspected by the regional health authority. In Chilliwack that is Fraser Health, which lists licensed facilities in its licensed child care finder (opens in a new tab), and publishes inspection reports. It is worth a look before or after your visit.
What to ask on the tour
- The room your child would be in. Which room is it, which age group shares it, and where do the children play outside?
- A normal day. What does a morning and an afternoon look like for this age: play, meals and snacks, rest, outdoor time?
- Settling in. How do the first days work, how are goodbyes handled, and how will you hear how your child is doing?
- Staying in touch. How does the centre share updates, photos and messages during the day?
- Health and illness. When should a child stay home, and how are allergies and medication planned?
- Hours and schedules. Do the opening hours fit your work and travel? Is part time possible, and on which days?
- Fees and funding. What would the monthly fee be for your child, and how do BC’s fee reduction and benefit apply?
- Spaces and start dates. Is there a space for your child’s age and schedule, and when could your child start?
Look and listen
A tour is a chance to see how the rooms feel and to picture your child there. Notice whether the rooms are set up for the age group, whether there is space to move and play, and whether your questions get clear, honest answers. It is fine to ask to see the outdoor space, and to come back with more questions later.
At Autumn
- Licensed child care, for ages 0–5 years in three programs: infants (0–18 months), toddlers (18–36 months) and 3–5 years.
- Two centres in Chilliwack, Olds Drive and Hocking Avenue, both open Monday to Friday, 7:00am to 5:30pm.
- Full time and part time (mornings or afternoons).
- Autumn accepts BC’s ACCB and CCFRI. How they work.
- Daily updates, photos and messages with your child’s teachers in the Brightwheel parent app.
- Tours run Sunday, Monday and Friday, 9:30am to 12pm. A tour is a visit, not a childcare space: a space is only confirmed when Autumn confirms it with you.
You can also look inside both centres on video before you visit.