Finding and Choosing Child Care

QualityFirstAZ.com helps families search for and select child care and preschool

Families will now have more information and tools for finding quality child care and preschool through QualityFirstAZ.com.

The new website – launched by First Things First – gives families information about why quality is important in child care and preschool and what quality looks like. It also gives parents tools they can use to find a quality child care and preschool setting that meets their needs.  



Leslie Womack and her daughter Ellina

Leslie Womack, mother of five, researched preschools for her 3-year old son Ethan for almost a year. Besides basic health and safety, she wanted a program that would give Ethan the early education he needed to build a strong foundation for school and life. “The early years are when the brain develops the most, and quality preschool can boost a child’s confidence, social skills, academic skills, and self-discipline,” said Womack. “I wanted a quality preschool that would help my son grow, learn and have a boost in life.  I also didn’t want him to feel overwhelmed when he began kindergarten.”

Womack knows the difference that preschool can make. Her first son, who did not attend preschool, had a difficult time getting adjusted to kindergarten, which affected his learning. After sending her second son to preschool because she needed to go back to work, Womack saw a difference when her second son entered kindergarten. “It was a seamless transition between preschool and kindergarten,” Womack said. “There was no frustration, and he had good social skills.” Because he had attended preschool, her second son was more comfortable in a school environment. He was ready to learn.  It was then she knew that Ethan, her third son, also needed to attend preschool.

After researching and visiting several centers, Womack went to see Cedar Tree Montessori Preschool in Prescott. When she observed the environment and talked with the teachers, she knew it was a right fit for her son. “When I walked in, I could tell it was a quality environment,” said Womack. “I talked to the teachers about the center’s curriculum, and I could tell they were knowledgeable teachers that were responsive to children’s needs.”

Womack also learned that Cedar Tree Montessori Preschool was enrolled in Quality First, a First Things First funded program that partners with preschools and child care centers to help improve their quality.

After Ethan had attended Cedar Tree Montessori Preschool for a while, Womack began to see a difference in his social skills. “Social skills do not just come by themselves, and you can’t succeed in this world without them” said Womack. “I want my children to be future leaders, and at preschool, Ethan is learning the social skills he needs. I see a greater sense of maturity in him.”

Womack is glad that parents will have access to information and tools to help them choose child care through QualityFirstAZ.com. “This website will make it easier for parents to search for the quality school that works best for them and their child,” Womack said.