Downtown Baltimore Child Care

I have my 3 years old son in DBCC. When I got a tour the first time that I visited there, I was very disappointed with an environment which was not clean and there were lots of visible (at first look) child safety issues. There is no refrigerator to keep food even in middle of summer. The diaper trash bag is located inside the room with no lid. The teachers have very long nails and they are the ones who change diapers and then feed kids!!!
Plus there was an old storage room with lots of junk and no books in it and we were told that this is the library!
It was the middle of season and despite my tremendous efforts I was not able to find another daycare.
Surprisingly, my son adjusted very well and he loves his daycare and teachers. His language developed very well and he found good friends. He did not get any bad illnesses including diarrhea too!!! (he got a skin infection and few nasty bites from a classmate that keep biting him).
So I guess overall we were satisfied with DBCC. I think if they just pay a little bit more attention to hygiene and watch kids a bit closer it will be a really good place.

My son was at DBCC beginning at 14 months and ending this summer as he enters kindergarten. I cannot express how impressed I was with the caring and love shown by the teachers and staff over these four years. He learned how to problem solve with his classmates and be creative. I would recommend DBCC to anyone seeking excellent childcare.

PROS: Well trained, loving staff. Good teacher ratios. Play-based. Age approp
CONS: Pricey, but worth it.

Sending my children to DBCC is one of the best decisions I've ever made. Both my five year-old and my two year-old have been there since they were four months old. DBCC has become their home away from home. The teachers and staff are nurturing of both children and parents and the curriculum is top-notch. Children learn self-confidence and social skills along with their math and ABCs, and the program is designed to teach kids to love to learn and explore. My kids sometimes don't want to leave at the end of the day. I think that says it all.

PROS: Child-centered learning in a nurturing environment
CONS: None

My older son was at DBCC University Center from age four months to five years, and my younger son has been there from four months to (currently) 3 1/2. They have both thrived! The committed, caring, well-trained staff -- who have been there for years, as opposed to the revolving-door situation at a lot of centers -- are the heart of the program. The philosophy is great - very child-centered. The teacher-child ratio far exceeds the licensing minimum that most places do. (Example: 9 infants in the infant room with 4 full-time caregivers plus a part-time housekeeper just for that room (to keep everything clean). Nationally accredited by NAEYC and also voted "Best of Baltimore". They get grants to pay for ongoing professional development, so the teachers are up-to-date with the most recent thinking about child development and early childhood education. Great playground, fantastic classroom spaces, regular visiting artists for interactive children's concerts and plays... I can't say enough good things about it -- you owe it to yourself and your child to visit. :-)

PROS: Teachers, philosophy, committed families, facility.
CONS: None!

I felt a little uncomfotable leaving my child there for the first time.
However the next day I went back and spoke with a teacher and I felt a lot better and she was very open to hearing my concerns.