Child Care Options – Choosing a Caregiver

Understanding child care options and knowing what questions to ask will help you choose child care that works for your child and your family. Options include family child care homes, child care centers, and in-home care providers such as nannies, au pairs, and babysitters. Some families prefer family child care because it provides a home-like environment, while others prefer a center where children may benefit from the socialization of larger groups of children. The California Community Care Licensing Division, State Department of Social Services, licenses and monitors both family child care homes and centers in an effort to ensure that they provide a safe and healthy environment for children.

Licensing

Community Care Licensing requires both family child care homes and child care centers to be licensed for the following:

• To meet basic health and safety standards
• Regulate adult-to-child ratios
• Conduct background checks on caregivers

Licensing also requires at least one caregiver trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and first aid be on site at all times. Licensed programs may not use physical or unusual punishment with children. And, parents have the right to visit your child’s program whenever the program is open.

Licensing does not monitor in-home care providers—nannies, au pairs, babysitters, and those providing care for children from one other family in their own home. If you are considering an unlicensed child care provider, TrustLine can provide information on background checks of in-home providers in California. It works by comparing fingerprints with records at the California Department of Justice. The TrustLine service is administered by the California Department of Social Services and the Child Care Resource and Referral Network and is endorsed by the California Academy of Pediatrics. Call TrustLine at 1-800-822-8490 or visit www.trustline.org

Family Child Care

California Community Care Licensing recognizes both large family child care homes, serving up to 14 children, and small family homes, which serve up to 8 children. In a small family child care home, 1 adult can serve up to 4 infants (children under 2 years old), or 6 children (including up to 3 infants) or 8 children (including up to 2 infants and must include at least 2 children over 6 years old). Two adults in a large family child care home can serve 12 children (including up to 4 infants), or 14 children (including up to 3 infants and at least 2 children over six years of age). Licensing requires that a family child care provider be 18 years or older, pass a criminal clearance check and child abuse index check Caregivers in family child care homes are not required to obtain any early childhood or child development education or training, but must complete training in child health and safety. The amount of space provided for children in a family child care home is not regulated.

The majority of infants and toddlers in out-of-home care are served by family child care homes, which can also serve older children. Their programs range from informal care to structured curricula focusing on academics or other areas.

Center-Based Child Care

Center-based child care includes licensed day care centers, preschools, child development centers, and after school programs for school-age children.

Center-based child care must meet additional standards outlined by Community Care Licensing. A center’s licensing compliance history is public information and can be obtained at your local licensing department.

The teachers at center-based child care are required by licensing to have the following:

• A minimum 12 units of college coursework in early childhood education/child development
• Six months of experience working with children

Center-based child care more often uses a formal curriculum and the adult-to-child ratio is lower than family child care:

• 1 adult to 4 infants (0-2 years)
• 1 adult to 12 children 2-6 years old
• 1 adult to 15 children 6 to 14 years old

State-subsidized child care centers must meet higher standards, including lower adult-to-child ratios and higher educational attainment by teachers.

Unlike in family child care homes, the space available to children in centers is regulated on a per-child basis:

• 35 square feet of indoor space and 75 square feet of outdoor space per child.

The approach and activities offered by child care centers varies widely, as do the numbers and ages of children served. In general, a small percentage of spaces at child care centers are available to infants.

Choosing Child Care: What to Look for and What to Ask?

The right caregiver will pay close, loving attention to your child and provide a safe and nurturing environment for exploring and learning. A close and trusting relationship developed over time between your child and caregiver will help your child feel secure, which supports his or her development as a competent and capable learner. A good caregiver will support children’s social, emotional and physical development.

For all child care—licensed and unlicensed, center-based and family home-based:

• Ask friends or family who share your parenting approach to recommend caregivers.
• Interview and check a caregiver’s references, including any issues with licensing, and a clearance check from TrustLine.
• Interview the caregiver to understand how your child’s healthy development will be supported.
• Ask potential caregivers how they handle specific, difficult behaviors. Make sure the caregiver you select understands your wishes in setting limits and discipline.
• Observe the children being cared for to learn if they seem happy and well cared for.
• Do the caregivers kneel or sit at the children’s level?
• Do the caregivers plan each day’s activities?
• How well does the caregiver communicate with parents?
• Make sure the child-to-adult ratio is appropriate to meet your child’s developmental needs. Keep in mind that some programs maintain ratios lower than those required by licensing.
• Make sure your caregiver follows your wishes for daily routines such as sleeping, feeding, and guidance.

Click here for more info on Matching Your Infant's or Toddler's Style to the Right Child Care Setting

Information reviewed by expert sources: Yolanda Garcia, WestED