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Daycare |
Setting |
Advantage and Disadvantage |
Center-based care |
Usually involves larger group settings.
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More social interactions with other children.
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Usually have clear health, safety, and caregiver training standards.
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More likelihood of catching a cold or other illness.
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Usually have higher child-staff ratio.
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Family child care homes |
Usually small group of children who receive services in the home of the caregiver. |
- Have social interactions with other children.
- Less likelihood of catching a cold.
- Less clear health, safety, and caregiver training standards.
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In-home care |
Care provided by relatives, friends, neighbors, or live-in and come and go nannies. |
- Less social interactions.
- Less likelihood of catching a cold.
- Usually low child-care giver ratio.
- Less clear health, safety, and caregiver training standards.
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- Cost effective to child care?
- Location is convenient to you for daily commuting and emergency pick-up?
- Open hours and holiday schedule?
- Policy for late in picking up your child?
- Does the facility have a visiting policy?
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Questions for quality care: |
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Is the facility fully licensed? All center-based facilities are inspected every year and require state licensure. The requirements for licensing generally ensure basic health and safety of a program but not necessarily high quality; state licensing requirements can be found online at http://nrc.uchsc.edu
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What is the experience/training of the caregivers? College degrees in early childhood education, child development associate’s credential, or ongoing in-service training.
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What is the attendant and staff turnover rate?
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Is there an adequate number of staff? The standard child-staff ratio andgroup size as recommended by the American Academy of pediatrics:
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For childcare centers |
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For family child care |
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Child’s age |
Child-staff ratio |
Max group size |
0-12mo |
3:1 |
6 |
13-30 mo |
4:1 |
8 |
31-35 mo |
5:1 |
10 |
3 yr |
7:1 |
14 |
4-5yrs |
8:1 |
16 |
6-8yrs |
10:1 |
20 |
9-12 |
12:1 |
24 |
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no child < 2 y |
1 adult/6 children |
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1 child <2 y |
1 adult/4 children |
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2 children <2 y |
no other children are recommended |
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Questions for learning and physical activities: |
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- How much time do the children spend in front of the TV?
- Are TV programs or videos educational and age appropriate?
- How much TV exposure time outside of active watching?
- How much time is spent reading? Drawing or coloring? And scribbling?
- Is there devoted music time?
- What kinds of toys are available to the children?
- What sort of activities do the children partake in?
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AAP recommended no TV watch for the kids younger than 2 years old and limited 1 to 2 hour TV watch for kids aged over 2 yr. |
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Child and adolescent psychiatrists suggest that parents seek day care services that allow opportunity forcreative work, imaginative play and physical activity. There should be |
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- Plenty of space to move indoors and out.
- Lots of drawing and coloring materials and toys, as well as equipment such as swings, wagons, jungle gyms, etc.
- Guided free play as well as structured class time.
- Outings and age appropriate field trips for the older children.
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The best child care has structured schedules that include plenty of time for physical activities, quiet time (including daily reading sessions for groups and individuals), group programs, individual activities, meals, snacks, free time and limited (if any)TV. |
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Questions for nutrition/physical activities: |
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- What is food plan in the daycare?
- What about food processing there?
- Is there a designated breakfast, lunch and/or dinner time?
- Is there a food diary provided for daily intake?
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Questions for safety and injury prevention: |
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Play safety
- Play equipment safety.
- Control of injuries primarily due to falls.
Toy safety
- Enough developmentally appropriate toys and equipment?
- Can toys be easily washed and sanitized?
- Are toys set aside for washing after a child has placed them in their mouth?
- Are riding toys the right size for children?
- Are objects smaller than 1 ¾ inches diameter, and toys with small parts kept away from children who put objects in their mouths?
Other
- Universal Back-to-Sleep practices.
- Toxins out of reach.
- Safety seats, booster seats and seat belts used.
- Fire drills.
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Questions for health and infectious diseases control: |
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- What steps are taken to prevent the spread of illness amongst the children?
- When should a sick child stay home from the daycare facility? Does the facility have exclusion criteria that prevent acutely sick children from attending the center?
- Does the staff training include first aid and CPR?
- Policy for safe administration of medicines?
- Is a health assessment required before children enroll?
- Up-to-date immunizations of staffs and children required before enroll?
- Written emergency plan and updated contact information?
- Recommended hand washing times and routines?
- How often are the toys and equipment and facilities cleaned?
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Reference |
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Committee on Early Childhood, Adoption, and Dependent Care, American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Quality Early Education and Child Care from Birth to Kindergarten. Pediatrics 2004:115:187-191.
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Shope, TR, Aronson S. Improving the Health and Safety of Children in Nonparental Early Education and Child care. Pediatrics in Review. 2005;26:86-95.
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Committee on Infectious Diseases, AAP. Red Book. 25 th ed.Elk Grove Village , IL : American Academy of Pediatrics.
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