Clinical Reference Systems: Pediatric Advisor 10.0
Family Day Care
Characteristics:
- Caregiver, usually a mother, looks after one to six
children in her own home.
- Caregiver may be a friend, neighbor, relative, or someone
unfamiliar.
Advantages:
- Provides home-like environment (especially important for
infants and toddlers).
- Greater flexibility regarding ages than most centers (may
take infants and toddlers).
- MAY be licensed by the state, ensuring minimum health and
safety standards.
- May be easier to locate than in-home care.
- Your child will likely interact with other children.
- Relatively inexpensive arrangement.
- Siblings may be cared for together.
- Your child should receive ample attention.
- Greater flexibility regarding hours than most centers.
Disadvantages:
- You have less control over your child's care than in-home
arrangement.
- Your child may not receive as much personal attention as
in-home care.
- Caregiver will not always be available (illness,
vacation).
- May stop providing services abruptly.
- Caregiver may not have appropriate training or
experience.
- May not offer the array of opportunities provided by
center-based care.
- Caregiver is not supervised directly.
Additional considerations:
- The caregiver should take care of no more than three
infants at the same time.
- Licensing does not relate to the educational, social, or
emotional dimensions of the care.
|
Written by Donna Warner Manczak, Ph.D., M.P.H.
|
Copyright 1999 Clinical Reference Systems
|
|