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The kind of childcare you are looking for will depend on what you consider to be important. There is no one type that will work for everyone. The right choice for your family is the one you feel most comfortable with and the one that will meet your needs as an entire family. When considering each choice, try to imagine an average work day and how each choice will work for you. Take into account travel times including drop-offs and pick-ups, whether you are going to need coverage for shift work, and the age and temperament of your child or, as the case may be, children.
No matter what kind of care you choose, there are certain elements that should be standard in your search. The caregiver you choose should have Child CPR and First Aid. They should be able to provide you with a Police Security Check as well as a Child Welfare Check. The names of these checks may vary from state to state, but will ensure that your chosen provider does not have a criminal record or a history with child welfare. In the case of a daycare, these checks should be done on all staff members. Always check references, no matter how wonderful the provider seems, it is important to verify her claims. These checks may not be neccesary with a relative, but in all other forms of care, you should make them a priority. If your child will be cared for outside of your home, you'll want to make a safety check of the environment. Anyplace where your child spends time without you should be adequetely child proofed and prepared to meet their needs.
A love of children and an understanding of their needs is essential in anyone you are considering. Any caregiver that you choose should have a sound knowledge of basic child development. This does not have to be formal training, but should include basic parenting skills.
Relatives- Choosing Grandma (or Aunt, or other nearby relative) to care for your children is a handy option for parents. Often relatives are a low cost or no cost alternative. Of course, many parents do not have this choice available, lacking a relative that lives nearby with the availability to care for their children. A relative may care for your child either in your house or theirs. When choosing a relative for childcare it is important to lay down groundrules so that the relationship between the adults does not become impaired by childcare issues. Respect is an important factor. She must respect your parenting ideals, even if they are different from her own. In return, you must respect her and not take her position as caregiver lightly. You must remember not to take advantage of her family position and take her for granted. You must treat her the same as anyone else looking after your child and maintain time arrangements and not expect her to care for a sick child. Relatives may be available for odd hours of care like shift work and part time care, and may be able to care for your child if your job involves travel. If you have good communication with her and feel that you can maintain an open relationship then this is an ideal choice. It provide children the opportunity to become close to their relative and provides parents the security that their children are being cared for by someone who loves them dearly.
Babysitter- A babysitter is someone in the neighborhood who looks after one or two children in addition to her own. A babysitter that cares for more than two children should be considered a dayhome and should meet the standards for providing that sort of care. It is an inexpensive childcare choice that can work out wonderfully if the babysitter is committed to looking after the children and not trying to accomplish too much in the way of household tasks while the children are in care. She may be available for shift work hours and for part time care, but this will have to be negotiated. Problems may arise if there are differences in parenting style. With this choice it is important to get to know your provider to be sure she is the right choice for your family.
Family Daycare - Family Daycare or Dayhomes are homes in which many children are cared for on a daily basis. Some are licensed, while others are not. There is a great variation in dayhomes and the type of care that is offered in both licensed and unlicensed homes. Some providers offer a home like experience, involving children in household tasks and typical errands like walks to the bank. Other dayhomes offer more structure and provide developmental experiences based on early childhood research. Hours of service vary depending on the provider, but it is often difficult to find providers who offer evening and weekend care. Part time care may be accomodated, but is often not available through dayhomes.
Dayhomes offer the advantage of having one provider to care for and bond with the children. Dealing with one provider can be a disadvantage should the provider develop health problems, although many providers are prepared with back up care arrangements. Family daycare is less expensive than nanny care and may be less expensive than daycare, but often costs more than a relative or care by a babysitter. Young children tend to flourish in this environment.
Daycare - By far the most well known sources of childcare available. Daycares offer care to many children each and every day. They must be licensed and comply with state regulations, although the regulations do vary from state to state. Children are typically cared for in age-based groups with several providers attending to their needs. Most daycares have well trained staff, although turnover in the field can be quite high and contribute to a lack of continuity in the care provided. Daycares generally do not provide evening or weekend care and part time spaces can be difficult to find. Some on-the-worksite daycares are exceptions to this, and they have the added benefit of allowing break time visits to your child.
Not all daycares are created equal, but most can be judged based on the program director and printed policies of the daycare. Families of children tend to be seperated at daycare, and it may be difficult to find space for multiple children. Some children find it difficult to cope with the high levels of noise and activity that are inherent to daycare, and the personality of your child will have to be considered before placing them in a daycare.
Nanny-Care - This is the most expensive form of daycare available. Nannies may either live in or come to your house every day. A live in nanny obviously introduces unique circumstances. A family must adapt to having an extra person in the home, and have the resources available to provide her with a non-work place of her own. Engaging either form of nanny will put you in a position of employer, and you will need to be aware of the legalities and tax considerations of employing her. Nannies come at all levels of training and experience, from those trained in early childhood education to those who have no specialized training at all. Typically you can expect a nanny to perform all tasks related to the daily care of the children, but she should not be expected to attend to household tasks like cleaning or laundry. Nanny care is especially suited to families that require odd hours of care that may not be accomodated by other forms of childcare. Nannies provide one on one care and service that can't be compared to any other form of care. Special thought must be given to allow for sick and personal days. While the high cost may be prohibitive, many families have found that this can be reduced through nanny sharing or becoming involved with nanny training programs.
Choosing childcare and which type will suit your family best can be difficult. It may help to look at one possibility from each of the choices before making a final decision. After deciding which type of care will suit your family, you should look at at least 3 more possiblities within that category. It is important to feel comfortable with your choice to give you the confidence that your child is being well cared for while you are at work.
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