Child Care: Finding and Choosing

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KEY POINTS

• There are many kinds of child care choices including child care centers, family child care in someone’s home, child care in your home, and before-school and after-school child care.
• You need to compare price, hours, how good the programs are, if they are close to home or work, and what you think is best for your child.

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There are many kinds of child care choices. It helps if you look at all the options. What is good for other children may not be the best for your child. You will need to compare price, hours, how good the programs are, and if they are close to home or work. Child care options include:

• Child care centers
• Family child care in a home
• Child care in your home
• Before and after school child care
• Child care for children with special needs

If you can, both parents should help choose the kind of child care that is right for your child. Take your child with you when you visit, and talk with the people who will take care of your child.

When you need to find child care, it helps to:

• Make a list of names, addresses, and phone numbers of child care options near your home or workplace.
• Learn about child care rules in your state.
• Find out what training and experience caregivers have in caring for children.
• Call some centers and set a time to visit when children are there. Spend an hour or two watching the children and staff at all the places you visit.
• Meet with both the director and the person who will be taking care of your child to talk about what you expect.
• Look at the license to make sure it is up to date.
• Ask for references and check them.
• Talk with other parents whose children attend.
• Ask lots of question. Trust your instincts.
• After you find good child care, drop in for surprise visits from time to time.

What are child care centers?

Child care centers may also be called preschools, nursery schools, or learning centers. Most centers take children 3 to 5 years of age who are toilet-trained. Some take infants or toddlers younger than 3.

Child care centers must be licensed by the state. They must follow safety rules and the center staff must have certain kinds of training. The states also have rules about how many adults are needed to take care of a certain number of children. Check your state's laws. Federal guidelines for centers suggest no more than 3 infants for every adult, 4 toddlers for every adult, and 8 children ages 3 to 6 for each adult.

Before-school and after-school care is most common for children 6 to 12 years of age. They may be open during holidays, school breaks, and vacations. Child care centers for school-age children may be in a day care center, school, church, or youth center such as boys’ and girls’ clubs.

Your employer may have an on-site child care center or a flexible savings account to help you save money to pay for child care.

Benefits of child care centers:

• It is common for child care centers to have a large choice of programs and play materials.
• The person who takes care of your child is likely to be trained in child development.
• It usually costs less than in-home care.
• Your child can play with other children.
• They may be open 12 hours per day year-round. Many offer both full-and half-day schedules. Nursery schools are often open half-days and are closed the same months as other schools.
• The center is not likely to be closed if one of the people who takes care of your child is sick.

Drawbacks of child care centers:

• Your child may not like being around a lot of other children. Your child may get less attention than in your home or a home child care setting.
• Because your child will be around a lot of other children, your child may be sick more often. When your child is sick, you will not be able to send him or her to the child care center.
• You may need to agree to pay for year-round child care even if you don't need it.
• You may need to pay a fee when you sign up.
• The center hours and days may not be what you need.
• Staff may quit, so your child may not see the same people all the time.
• It may cost more than family child care.

What is family child care?

This kind of child care is done by people who care for a small group of children in their home. The person who takes care of your child is often a parent with their own small children.

People who provide child care in their homes are usually licensed by the state. All states have rules about the number of adults needed to take care of a certain number of children. It’s best if a child care home does not have more than 6 children per adult, including the caregiver’s own children. No person who takes care of your child should care for more than 2 children who are under 2 years of age without another adult to help.

Benefits of family child care:

• Being in a home setting can be better for infants and toddlers.
• The person who takes care of your child may be more willing to work with children of all ages and may work with you on what hours you need child care.
• It may cost less than center-based care.
• Being in a smaller group of children can mean that your child gets more one-on-one attention. It may also mean that your child does not get sick as often as can happen in a child care center.

Drawbacks of family child care:

• The person who takes care of your child:
  • May get sick or go on vacation and not be able to care for your child
  • May quit without much notice
  • May not have the right training or a lot of practice
  • May not offer the kinds of supplies or programs that child care centers can offer
  • May not be licensed.

What is child care in your home?

Child care in your home means hiring someone to care for your child in your own home. The person who takes care of your child may be a friend, neighbor, relative, or nanny. You can hire someone for a half-day, all-day, or before or after school. If you hire the person through an agency, they will do a background check. You may be able to do a background check yourself.

Benefits of child care in your home:

• Care in your home can be better for infants and toddlers because it is familiar and comforting.
• Your child gets more attention when there are fewer children around.
• It may be less costly than other choices if you have 3 or more children.
• Your child can be cared for at home if they are sick.
• Your child is not exposed to germs from other children.

Drawbacks of child care in your home:

• It may be hard to find a person to take care of your child.
• It may be the most expensive choice for 1 or 2 children.
• You must pay all fees, taxes, social security, and sometimes benefits of the person who takes care of your child.
• The person who takes care of your child may get sick, go on vacation, or quit and not be able to care for your child.
• Your child may not have other children for playmates.
• The person who takes care of your child may not have the right training or a lot of practice.
• If a family member or friend takes care of your child, you may disagree with the way they do things. It may be hard on the relationship if you try to get them to do things the way you want, and they disagree. It’s hard to fire relatives or friends.

What is before-school and after-school child care?

Before and after child care is meant for children 6 to 12 years of age. This type of child care may be in a day care center, school, community center, or in a home. These programs take care of children in the hours before and after school. They may take care of children during holidays, school breaks, and vacations. They may be more willing to work with you based on your needs.

What is special needs child care?

Special needs child care provides care for children with certain medical conditions or disabilities. A child with special needs is one who requires some type of extra care due to a physical, emotional or health reason. This might include needing help with feeding, communicating, moving or toileting.

Centers that care for special needs children must meet certain guidelines and their staff must have extra training.

To find a special needs day care center or an in-home child care worker in your area, talk with other parents of special needs children or with your child’s healthcare provider or therapist. You can also contact your local United Way, Easter Seals, or Child Care Aware.

Where can I find out about child care in my area?

You can find out about child care options from:

• State Social Services, Human Services, or Health Departments
• United Way
• YMCA/YWCA
• Churches
• Your local college
• Your child’s school
• Your employer
• PTA
• Your child’s healthcare provider
• Word-of-mouth from friends, neighbors, or other parents

For more information, contact:

• Child Care Aware of America
  800-424-2246
  https://www.childcareaware.org/
• National Association for Family Child Care
  801-886-2322
  https://www.nafcc.org/