Children & Adolescents Clinic

 Home Parent's Guide

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