The last day of school is almost here, which means parents will be scrambling to find something for the kids to do over the next few months. If summer camp is on the agenda, there are a few things parents should know.

At Gymcarolina, a handful of children play under the watchful eye of several instructors. Director Cynthia Kennedy has been in the business of watching over children for the last 21 years. She says she takes every precaution to make sure her kids are safe.

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"We have, in our facility, a safety-certified person and a first-aid, CPR-certified person," Kennedy said.

Kennedy allows parents to sit in on her classes and observe what is going on, before signing up, but not all summer programs are the same. In fact, summer camps do not go through the same scrutiny that childcare programs do.

As long as the programs adhere to fire and sanitation codes, they can be open for business.

"If it's a program that only operates during the summer months, it doesn't have to be licensed," said Anna Carter of the N.C. Childcare Development Division.

"It is actually all up to the parents to look for those quality indicators," said Christy Gaudette of Wake County Childcare Resource.

Here are those quality indicators that parents should be looking for:

  • First, look at the student-to-staff ratio. How many students are assigned to each instructor?
  • Check to see if the company or organization do background checks on employees.
  • Ask about the amount of experience and educational level of personnel taking care of the children.
  • Make sure the staff members working with your child are first-aid and CPR-certified.