Family
Child Care
|
Advantages |
Disadvantages |
- home like environment
- mixed age group
- warm and comfortable atmosphere
- greater availability of neighborhood programs
- flexible hours
- small group size
- usually least expensive type of care
|
- providers often have less training
- difference in values and styles
- not as well monitored as center care
- care can be less stable than at a center
|
|
What
to Look For
|
-
warm and loving personality
-
organized, responsible and dependable individual
-
compatible parenting styles
-
safe home, free of hazards
|
-
legal number of children
-
excellent references
-
open door policy
|
Child
Care Centers
|
Advantages |
Disadvantages |
- staff trained in child development (15
hours per year minimum)
- planned age-appropriate activities
- variety of appropriate equipment and supplies
- greater dependability of care
- licensed by city and/or state
|
- location not always convenient
- little flexibility in hours/days of care
- larger group size
- generally more expensive
- child cared for by more than one caregiver
|
|
What
to Look For
|
|
Environment
- safe
- pleasant and engaging
- child-sized furnishings
Staff
- training
- warm, patient, friendly
- legal adult/child ratios
Program
- variety of materials and activities
- balance of structure and free choice
- program plans posted
|
Health and Safety
- licenses posted
- sick child policy
- first aid kit
- safe playground
Parents
- encouraged to visit
- regular communication regarding daily activities
- center policies provided to parents
|
In-Home
Care
|
Advantages |
Disadvantages |
- convenient, no need to transport/transition child
- reduced exposure to illness
- allows for closer provider/child relationship
- greater flexibility of hours
|
- most expensive form of care
- employer responsibilities
- locating care can be time consuming
- difficult to monitor
- lack of group socialization and activities
|
|
What
to Look For
|
|
|
|
Preschools
|
-
part day/part week programs
-
traditionally serve children ages 3-5
-
may be based on a particular early childhood philosophy:
Montessori, constructivist, or developmental
-
some parent involvement may be required
-
operate according to school calendar
-
children placed in same age or mixed age groupings,
depending on philosophy
-
goal is often to provide social emotional development
and group interaction for children, prior to regular
school experience
-
standard licensing requirements
|
School-Age
Care
|
-
provides care for children over age five when
school is not in session: before and/or after school
or summer care
-
options include:
- elementary school programs
- in-home care
- YMCA or community centers
- self care
- family child care
- camps and recreation programs
- informal care networks
-
choices can vary, depending on age of child, family
needs, location, and schedule
-
older school-age children should be involved in
selection process
|
Finally
. . .
-
Take your time.
-
Screen options by telephone.
-
Select caregivers to visit.
-
Ask questions.
-
Observe caregiver with children.
-
Interview more than one caregiver.
-
Try to match parenting styles.
-
Develop a written agreement.
-
Trust your instincts.
-
Notify providers not selected.
-
Call 4C at 221-0033 any time during your child
care search if you need further assistance.
|
|
