1. 2 –To identify criteria for quality child care and explore various available options –To examine the effects of economics, demographics, and cultural.

1

2

– To identify criteria for quality child care and explore various available options

– To examine the effects of economics, demographics, and cultural diversity on child care options

– To analyze legislation and agencies that protect children

– To compare child care options for children of varying ages as well as varying family structures

3

• Quality features of child care– No more than eight babies per group with

four babies to one adult– Children whose diapers are changed

promptly– Caregivers who react quickly and lovingly

to crying babies– Caregivers who allow individual babies to

nap when they’re tired– A center or home that allows and

encourages parent drop-in visits

4

• Health procedures of quality child care facilities– Caregivers wash hands after each diaper

change and before each feeding– Bottles and food jars should be kept clean

and clearly identified for each baby– Foods should be stored in the refrigerator

and utensils should be washed thoroughly with hot water and soap

– Medicines and cleaning agents should be stored well out of reach of children

5

• Some of the most common child care options– Nanny

• American, private caregiver in your own home• May live in or out of your home• May do light housekeeping• Can care for children of any age

– Au Pair• Young European adult who lives in your home• Does not provide housekeeping• Will care for children over the age of 3 months

6

Pros for the nanny and au pair– Child gets to stay in the comfortable, familiar

environment of their own home– Maximum personal attention and flexibility

Cons– No backup if the nanny is sick or on vacation– No interaction with other children– Can be one of the more expensive options

• Nanny typically costs between $200-$600/week• Au pair is less expensive

7

• Relative Care– Environment in which you have a relative care

for your child while you are workingPros

• Maximum personal attention• One of the most affordable options• Necessary level of trust is generally already in place• Person will typically always play a role in the child’s

life

Cons• Potential tension if parent and relative don’t see eye

to eye• Parent may feel indebted to the family member

8

• Family Daycare– An environment in which a woman cares for up to

8 children in her home– Includes no more than 2 infantsPros

• Usually more affordable than other types of child care• Nurturing, family-like environment• Children receive maximized personal attention

Cons• Often, the caregiver is not licensed or formally educated• No backup if the caregiver is sick or on vacation

9

• Institutional Daycare– An environment in which staff care for large

groups of children in an institutional settingPros

• Centers are licensed and staff are generally well trained and educated

• Provide children with many opportunities for social interaction

• Sometimes places of employment have daycare centers on site

Cons• Children do not receive as much personal attention• Usually one of the more expensive options• Children tend to be exposed to more illness

10

• Work-at-Home Parent Care– For parents who have the flexibility of working from home

or telecommuting– Work hours must be flexiblePros

• Affordable option• Child has maximum personal attention• Parent has the opportunity to spend quality time with

their child, watch them grow and develop a special bond

Cons• Jobs that permit telecommuting are often difficult to find• Parents sometimes miss adult interaction found in the

office• Sometimes difficult to balance caring for the child and

working

11

5.5

31.3

0.9

33

0.2

29.4

Care in Child'sHome

Mother Cares forChild at Work

School-basedActivity

Organized ChildCare Facilities

Care in AnotherHome

OtherArrangements

12

• Caregiver also fulfills the role of teacher – Preschools provide an educational program

for young children before starting kindergarten or elementary school

• To a lesser extent, family and institutional daycare may also provide this “teaching” type environment

13

1. Children spend most of their time playing and working with materials or with other children

2. Children have access to various activities throughout the day

3. Teachers work with individual children, small groups and the whole group at different times during the day

4. The classroom is decorated with children’s original artwork and projects

5. Children learn numbers and the alphabet in the context of their everyday experiences

www.kidshealth.org

14

6. Children work on projects and have long periods of time to play and explore

7. Worksheets are used rarely, if at all8. Children have an opportunity to play outside in

a safe play area every day9. Teachers read books to children individually or

in small groups10. Curricula are adapted for those who are ahead

as well as those who need additional help

15

• It is important to consider the resources you have available, compared to your childcare options– More Expensive:

• Nanny• Au Pair• Institutional daycare

– More Affordable• Relative care• Family daycare• Work-at-home parental care

16

• One area in which children’s rights are protected is in the licensing of daycare facilities

• This protects the health, safety, and well being of children who attend child care facilities

• Develops minimum standards for regulated facilities as well as policies and procedures for enforcing those minimum standards

• One agency that handles these issues is the Department of Protective and Regulatory Services (PRS)

• What are some other programs that protect the rights of children?

17

• What resources in your area focus on children?

• Activity:– Individually, or in groups, use the internet,

newspaper, telephone directory and other resources to research and gather information about child-oriented resources

– Resources such as:• child care• school parenting programs • clinics• food banks

18

• What are some of the benefits in choosing a child care program that will expose your child to cultural diversity?– Help children be more aware of the world

around them– May be a consideration if you want your child

surrounded with your own culture/beliefs– Some child care settings will expose your

child to different languages• while your child is young, other languages are

easier to learn• some programs also teach children sign language

19

• Legislation focused on children deals with everything from protection and child support to daycare licensing

• Using various research methods, find examples of legislation affecting children– Suggested source

• U.S Department of Justice web site www.usdoj.gov/kidspage

20

• What are some different types of family structures?– Single parent families– Dual-career families– Families with multiple children

• What impact does family structure have on child care options?– Single parent families will most likely have less

income than dual-career families, thus limiting their child care options

– Families with multiple children will be spending more on child care and should consider children’s needs when selecting an alternative

21

• What are some ways child care options are impacted by age of children?– Infants under one year of age should be given special

consideration, due to their need for nurturing and attention to health needs

– For older children consider options that will develop play and learning styles, encourage interaction with other children, promote intellectual curiosity and give individualized attention

– Younger infants generally adapt quickly to new child care environments

– Older infants may feel “stranger anxiety” and need more time to adjust

22

Age Child:Staff

0-11 mos. 4:1

12-17 mos. 5:1

18-23 mos. 9:1

2 yrs. 11:1

4 yrs. 18:1

5yrs. 22:1

6-8yrs./ 9-13yrs 26

23

QUIZ

1. Which child care options are presented as the most expensive?

2. Give an example of a child care facility incorporating cultural diversity?

24

3. Which family structure is most likely to have the most income to spend on child care?

A. Families with multiple children

B. Single parent families

C. Dual-career families

4. In what age range are developing play and learning styles and promoting intellectual curiosity most important?

QUIZ

25

5. What is the suggested child-to-staff ratio for children from 31 to 35 months old?

6. Which of these is statistically the most commonly used child care option?

A. Mother cares for child at work

B. Care in child’s home

C. Organized care facilities

D. School-based activity

QU QUIZ IZ

26

Child Care Licensing. 2002. www.tdprs.state.tx.us/child_care/child_care_Licensing_Introduction

Child Care Options. 2002. www.pages.drexel.edu/~dow22/cco.html

Choosing Child Care. 2002. www.kidshealth.org

© MMIII, MMIVCEV Multimedia, Ltd.

Production Coordinators

Treena Aston

Allison Mangold

Production Manager Geoff Scott

Research & Graphic Editor

Lauren Mangold

Executive Producer G.W. Davis