Family Childcare: Another Alternative
In a society where the majority of mothers and fathers are working outside
the home, the need for quality childcare is growing at a rapid pace. A large
contingent of the population is beginning to realize that center-based daycare
is not their only option. Since it is now being acknowledged that the first
three years of a child's life are the most important of their formative years,
parents of young children are discovering that family child care can provide the
individualized attention that children of this age need.
Just what is family childcare? In short, it is childcare that is offered in
the provider's home. "Oh, so it's just someone who baby sits" you assume.
Actually, quality family childcare is so much more than that. Quality providers
are entrepreneurs who take pride in their small businesses and continually
challenge themselves to remain at the leading edge of the child care profession.
One of the major benefits family childcare offers that center-based care
simply cannot is a small group. Washington law mandates that a family childcare
provider can have no more than 6 children in her care at any one time with 2
children under the age of two. (This includes her own children under the age of
twelve) Or she may have 8 children in her care with none under age two. Any
parent of a young child knows that the fewer people their child is exposed
to--the less likely they are to become ill. Center-based care may offer separate
rooms for different age groups, but the fact of the matter is, that when large
numbers of people--children as well as their parents--walk through a center's
doors, as many as 100 people each day could be bringing their cold and flu
symptoms into that environment! Factor in all of the center's employees and the
potential for exposure to illness seems staggering.
More and more often, parents are choosing family child care because they know
that increased time and attention can be tailor-made for their children. It
allows small groupings in an atmosphere resembling their own homes, and its
flexible scheduling adapts to each family’s individual needs. Because providers
must adhere to state guidelines, they can offer loving care without having to
sacrifice the quality of their programs. Due to the low ratio of children in
each program to begin with, and the even lower number of infants allowed,
parents can really appreciate the individualized attention that is offered in
these homes, and know that what is being offered really is serving their child's
best interests.
Another major benefit that center-based care can't match is the consistency
of the caregiver. In centers--where minimum wages are the industry standard--it
can be detrimental for a child to become attached to their caregiver and then
have that employee leave for "greener pastures." Children have to go through the
trauma of dealing with feelings of abandonment and then re-establish a trust
relationship with a new caregiver. This cycle is repeated time and time again in
day care centers during the child's formative years. Alternatively, if your
child spends more than 8 hours a day in a center, as most children of working
parents do, he or she will be handed off to different caregivers throughout the
course of each day. (Centers do not allow their employees to work overtime, so
two full time shifts or three part time shifts are used for their normal 12-14
hour business day.) In contrast, since the family childcare provider runs a
business from her home, parents can rest assured that their child can go from
infancy to kindergarten with the same caregiver.
How can parents find quality family childcare? Just as you would ask your
friends and acquaintances for personal referrals when looking for a new doctor
or home decorator--that's the best way to seek out good family childcare as
well. Most providers credit the bulk of their business to word-of-mouth personal
referrals, as well as referrals obtained through professional organizations or
corporate networks. Should a parent not have a referral to fall back on, then
their best bet would be to get in touch with Project Child, Child Care Resource
and Referral. Organizations like this envision quality family child care as
having a "ripple effect" in the community-where parents and providers alike
recognize the need to expect and demand this exceptional type of care and
advocate for quality programs to become the norm-not the exception-across the
country.
How can parents distinguish between a quality provider and a sitter? Look for
affiliation with one or more groups like Project Child or the CACFP. Some other
organizations that providers may be affiliated with are the National Association
of Family Child Care (NAFCC), or the National Association for the Education of
Young Children (NAEYC). Memberships in groups such as these show a commitment to
offering the best quality of child care possible. Additionally, the NAFCC
distinguishes providers that meet professional standards of excellence in the
areas of safety, health, nutrition, learning environment, interacting, outdoor
play environment, and professional responsibility. All quality providers will
meet or exceed parent’s expectations in each of these areas. While finding an
exceptional provider may seem like a daunting task, rest assured that they do
exist in large numbers! The search is well worth the effort--after all, don't we
all want to give our children the very best?
