Daycare Programs

Daycare programs provide supplementary childcare on a regular basis inside or outside of a child's home and are administered by adults other than the child's parents. Care can be given in the child's home, at a caregiver's home, or at a daycare center, and may involve other children. In seeking the best program, parents must become clear on what they want from a program and consider only those that clearly state their philosophies and objectives and how their day-to-day activities address these philosophies and objectives. The decision to put a child in daycare can be difficult, so adults must also reconcile themselves with the idea of putting their child in another's care, and above all, be totally confident in the quality of that care.

Keywords Child Development; Cognition; Daycare Center; Daycare Programs; Early Childhood Education; Family Daycare Homes; Group Daycare Homes; In-home Caregiver; National Institute of Child Health & Human Development's Study of Early Child Care; (NICHD/SECC); Parent-Program Partnership

Overview

Daycare programs provide supplementary childcare on a regular basis inside and outside of a child's home and are administered by adults other than the child's parents. Care can be given in the child's home, at a caregiver's home, or at a daycare center, and may involve other children. Some adults operate small programs from their own houses, while others run large businesses out of leased or purchased space. Programs fall into three categories: in-home caregivers, who are single adults caring for a child in the child's home; family daycare homes, which are run out of private residences and generally provide care to no more than twelve children (which may include the provider's own children); and daycare centers, which care, typically, for twelve or more children ("Five Steps to Choosing Quality Daycare"). Family daycare homes are often governed by state regulations, though the number and types of regulations vary. Daycare centers in all states must be licensed. Some in-home caregivers, however, are exempt from state licensing though many work through accredited placement agencies. Regulations vary by state.

Families turn to daycare for a number of reasons. In some situations, financial necessity dictates that both parents work, while in others, the reasons have nothing to do with money and may be focused on the socialization of the child. In single-parent families, however, the reason is usually economic. Many single parents must work, so they enroll their children in a daycare program.

Each family must weigh its own situation and its child's needs and decide whether or not daycare is the right solution. In seeking the best program, parents must become clear on what they want from a program and consider only those that clearly state their philosophies and objectives and how their day-to-day activities address these philosophies and objectives. The decision to put a child in daycare can be emotionally difficult, so adults must also reconcile themselves with the idea of putting their child in another's care and, above all, be totally confident in the quality of that care. While many programs provide excellent care and early education, a poor program can harm the development and emotional well-being of a child and be an immense stressor to parents.

Applications

Types of Daycare Programs

The three types of daycare programs are:

• Daycare centers

• Family daycare homes

• In-home caregivers

In choosing between daycare centers, family daycare homes, and in-home caregivers, parents must consider their child's unique personality and weigh their needs for intimacy and one-on-one relationships with adults against readiness for socialization. Some children thrive in large groups of children; others do better in smaller groups. Some may not be ready to handle a group situation at all and need to be cared for by an adult at home. Once the type of program has been selected, parents must examine a number of attributes, including caregiver-to-child ratio, group (class) sizes, and provider experience and qualifications. These factors all form the basis of either a positive or negative experience for the child and significantly impact his social, emotional, and intellectual development.

Day Care Centers

Daycare centers are required by law in all states to be licensed and to be inspected regularly. Laws governing their licensure vary from state to state, as do the types of agencies that grant licenses. In Arkansas, for example, licensing is done by the Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education. In Connecticut, licenses are given out by the Department of Public Health. In Michigan, they are handled by the Division of Child Day Care Licensing. Being licensed has no bearing on the quality of care a center gives. A license means only that the center has met its state's minimum safety, health, and caregiver qualification requirements. Parents who place their children in centers usually do so because they feel the exposure to larger numbers of children and staff, the larger space and greater abundance of toys and learning equipment, and the greater number of scheduled activities will provide a more stimulating learning environment. Also, the fact that the center is licensed means it is a safe and clean place. These centers are more likely to allow access to cameras which many parents and caretakers appreciate.

Additional oversight is gained through accreditation. Accreditation means a program has met standards beyond those required for licensure. The two biggest organizations that accredit childcare programs in the US are the National Association for Family Child Care and the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Family Daycare Homes

Similar to daycare centers, family daycare homes often need to be licensed. Additionally, most states have minimum nutrition, health, and safety requirements. These are enforced in most states through inspections of homes where programs exist. Most states have regulations governing homes serving more than four children, and some have voluntary regulations for homes with less than four children. Several states also require providers to undergo training before going into business, and most states do criminal and child abuse records checks on providers. Parents who prefer these programs want their children in a homier, more intimate environment where they interact with fewer children and only one adult. Some home-based programs are also cheaper and offer looser payment arrangements and schedules (Childcare.gov, n.d.).

In-Home Caregivers

Some parents prefer a one-on-one relationship between their child and care provider and hire an in-home caregiver, such as a nanny, au pair, or house manager. The in-home caregiver may or may not live on the premises. A few states regulate nanny placement agencies, but most do not regulate in-home care providers. Some, however, require background checks into criminal records and child abuse history, and a few require that providers undergo emergency and health training to be eligible for work. Agencies that match families with an au pair are international operations facing regulations in multiple countries. Parents who hire in-home care wish to provide their children with a safer, more secure environment over which they (the parents) have more control (NACCRRA, 2007, "Five Steps to Choosing"). Recommendations for providers often come to parents through friends, though many families post advertisements on websites and in newspapers or use nanny and housekeeper placement agencies.

The Parent-Program Partnership

Good programs invite a collaborative relationship with parents so that they can be informed, active partners in their child's development. Bumps, bruises, or tears should not go unexplained by a caregiver, and any significant event at home that impacts a child's emotional state should be informed by parents. That said, parents need to understand children are often prone to mild ailments or injuries. Further, concepts explored weekly—social skills, letters and words, math—should be made known to parents so that they can be reinforced at home. The most important thing is that children—infants and toddlers, especially—enjoy relationships with adult caregivers that are intimate and stable enough to engender feelings of safety, trust, and self-confidence. By working closely together, parents and caregivers create a feeling of harmony around the child that only expands his or her sphere of safety and acceptance. Many refer to this network in parenting as a "village." In addition, both derive tremendous satisfaction from the child's accomplishments and can greatly reduce the kinds of criticism and competitiveness that sometimes arise between parents and programs.

Impact on Child Development

Much research has been done in recent years on how daycare programs impact child development. Studies have produced new information about how daycare, home environment, and preschool contribute to a child's success in kindergarten and beyond. Among the most notable studies are the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study - Kindergarten Cohort (National Center for Education Statistics [NCES], 1999,) the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development's Study of Early Child Care (NICHD/SECC), the Reading Research Program, and Head Start ("Social Functioning," 2003). Studies which continued throughout the twenty-first century continued to highlight the importance of quality childcare and early education in determining a child’s overall academic success (Hirsh, et al, 2021).

The push for more information has come from the dramatic rise in participation in daycare programs that has occurred since the 1960s. In 2019, 59 percent of children under the age of five attended daycare for at least part of the week. What has already been discovered is that children most apt to be successful in the early years of school are the ones who, upon entering kindergarten, already possess academic, social and behavioral skills. A survey of kindergarten teachers in the United States revealed that most children in their present classes lacked these skills: most had been inadequately exposed to letters, words and other components of literacy, and had difficulty following directions, working independently and relating to their peers. Daycare programs are seen as a way of teaching these skills to children before they reach kindergarten.

Time spent in daycare and the program's level of quality can be significant determinants of a child's later social and academic outcomes, but they are only pieces of the puzzle. Home and family life carry even more weight. A child's relationship with his mother and the education and income levels of both parents are even more potent ingredients in a child's academic and social success or struggle ("Social Functioning," 2003).

The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development's Study of Early Child Care (NICHD/SECC) began in 1991 and is regarded as the most extensive study on daycare done in the United States to date; by 2023, it was the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (SECCYD). Conceived in 1989, its purpose was to settle an old debate over whether children were better off in their mother's care or in a part-time daycare program. Progressing in four phases, the study followed children from infancy to age 15. The first phase tracked 1,364 children from birth to age 3; the second began in 1995 and tracked the 1,226 remaining subjects to their second year in school; and the third commenced in 2000 and followed 1,100 children through the seventh year of schooling. The fourth and final phase wrapped up in 2006 and studied the 1,000 remaining subjects, by then age 15. Data from all four phases has been sorted and analyzed, and the data has been revisited several times.

The NICHD/SECC examined children from diverse backgrounds in 10 US states to see how daycare affected their development, taking into account different types of daycare, the subjects' home environments, and the combined effects of both. Researchers used observation, interviews, questionnaires and testing to gauge each child's cognitive, social, and emotional development. They conducted home visits to subjects at ages one, six, fifteen, twenty-four and thirty-six months. In addition, they conducted phone interviews every three months to monitor how often children were in daycare and how much their mothers were working outside of the home. In cases where children received ten or more hours a week of childcare, visits were made to where care was administered when children were six, fifteen, twenty-four and thirty-six months old. In addition, the children were assessed both in their homes and in the research laboratory at ages fifteen, twenty-four, and thirty-six months (NICHD, 2019).

One of the study's most significant findings was that a child's relationship with his mother, the mother's general emotional state, and the family's income had much more of an influence on his development than did daycare. In fact, families whose children attended daycare full time could influence them as much as families whose children did not participate in any program. Daycare did influence child development, but in small proportion to the influence exerted by family (NICHD, 2019).

While conventional wisdom says daycare reduces problem behaviors in children and helps develop social skills necessary for kindergarten, the NICHD/SECC yielded some unexpected results. For instance, while good quality daycare can promote academic development, programs given extensively to children during the first year of life can lead to behavior problems such as impulse control and aggression. These children exhibited behavior problems at two and four and a half years of age and in kindergarten, and lower-than-expected performance on cognitive tests as three-year-olds. Altercations with peers also increased during this time ("Social Functioning," 2003). It is important to be cognizant of the many contributing factors to a child's development, cognition, and behavior, however.

Though much research has focused on quantity of care, home environment, and a child's age upon enrollment into daycare, almost none has simultaneously examined program quality. Thus, many findings could be the byproducts of low-quality care, rather than of high-volume care given to very young children. As quality of care is perhaps the most consistent factor in predicting a child's future academic, social and emotional success, more studies must be done to determine how much quantity of care is offset by quality of care. More research must also be done on the impacts of daycare program duration and continuity, as frequent changes in daycare arrangements (locations and caregivers) can create instability in a child's life and disrupt emotional, social and cognitive development. Evidence exists that familiar and stable care can reduce stress experienced by infants ("Does Amount of Time Spent," 2003) and the possibility of later-life problems presently associated with quantity of care and enrollment age.

Viewpoints

Parent Awareness

Research has confirmed that a successful parent-program partnership is crucial; yet, studies have also revealed that many parents are under-informed about daycare programs, even about the very ones in which their children already participate. While many say they are satisfied with their child's program, they remain largely unfamiliar with the individuals who run it, the facility, and their child's experiences while attending. (Shpancer, et al., 2002). Though much research has been done in recent years on health and safety issues and on daycare's effects on academic and behavioral outcomes, a surprisingly small amount has been devoted to how much parents know.

A study done in 2002 by the Psychology Department at Otterbein College in Westerville, Ohio, tried to assess the level of awareness in daycare parents about their children's programs. As the sampling number was small - 37 parents from five Midwestern metropolitan daycare centers (Shpancer, et al., 2002) - it is difficult to make any sweeping generalizations from the data obtained. Still, the results were striking and may well point to the level of awareness in many parents.

The parents were given a twenty-minute interview consisting of questions about their child's daycare center. It was found that 81 percent of parents did not know the number of injuries that had occurred that year at their child's center. Another 62.2 percent of parents said they did not know the center's license-granting agency, and 46 percent knew neither the educational background of their child's primary caregiver nor rates on personnel turnover at the center. About 33 percent did not know if criminal background checks were required of caregiver job applicants or if they had any emergency training. (Shpancer, et al., 2002).

Only 16 percent of parents could name the center's licensing agency or say if it had been accredited by a national organization. Only 19 percent of parents knew caregiver turnover rates. About 24 percent of parents interviewed knew the center's timeout (disciplinary) procedures, and only 35 percent knew how many children were in their child's group. Perhaps the most striking thing about the study was that despite their apparent lack of knowledge about their child's program, most parents gave the center very high ratings on quality: on average, a score of 4.13 on a five-point scale (Shpancer, et al., 2002).

Terms & Concepts

Child Development: Progress made by a child in the areas of cognitive, social and emotional growth.

Cognition: The mental process of knowing, including aspects such as awareness, perception, reasoning, and judgment.

Daycare Center: Program that provides care on a regular basis to groups of 12 or more children, and must be licensed by the state.

Early Childhood Education: Any education given or teaching done to children before they reach kindergarten (age 5).

Family Daycare: Daycare program operated out of a private residence that serves no more than 12 children.

Group Daycare Homes: Daycare programs out of a private residence that serves between seven and 12 children.

In-Home Caregiver: A nanny or housekeeper providing one-on-one care to a child in the child's home.

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development's Study of Early Child Care (NICHD/SECC): (1991-2006) - the most extensive study of childcare programs ever done in the U.S.

Parent-Program Partnership: A collaborative relationship between parents and daycare programs that invites free exchange of information about a child's development and well-being.

Bibliography

Azar, B. (2000). The debate over child care isn't over yet. Monitor on Psychology , 31 . Retrieved January 16, 2007 from http://www.apa.org/monitor/mar00/childcare.html

Family day care homes, group day care homes, child day care homes. Retrieved January 18, 2007, from Connecticut Department of Public Health http://www.dph.state.ct.us/BRS/Day_Care/day_care.htm

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Hirsh, K., Burchinal, P., & Meyer, K. (2021, Nov. 4). High-quality early child care and education: The gift that lasts a lifetime. Brookings Institution. Retrieved June 30, 2023, from https://www.brookings.edu/articles/high-quality-early-child-care-and-education-the-gift-that-lasts-a-lifetime

Linver, M. R., Brooks-Gunn, J., & Cabrera, N. (2004). The home observation for measurement of the environment (HOME) inventory: The derivation of conceptually designed subscales. Parenting: Science & Practice, 4 (2/3), 99-114. Retrieved January 17, 2007 from EBSCO Online Database Academic Search Premier. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=15070436&site=ehost-live

Melhuish, E. C. (2001). The quest for quality in early day care and preschool experience continues. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 25 , 1-6. Retrieved January 12, 2007 from EBSCO Online Database Education Research Complete. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=4428898&site=ehost-live

National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (2007). Five steps to choosing quality child care. Retrieved January 18, 2007, from Childcareaware http://www.Childcareaware.org

NCES. Fast Facts: Child care (4). (2019). NCES. Retrieved June 30, 2023, from https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=4

Nedovic, S., & Morrissey, A. (2013). Calm active and focused: Children's responses to an organic outdoor learning environment. Learning Environments Research, 16 , 281–295. Retrieved December 4, 2013 from EBSCO Online Database Education Research Complete. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=87820495

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NICHD Early Childcare Research Network. (2003). Social functioning in first grade: Associations with earlier home and child care predictors and with current classroom experiences. Child Development, 74 , 1639-1662. Retrieved January 17, 2007 from EBSCO Online Database Academic Search Premier. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=11744023&site=ehost-live

NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (SECCYD) Historical/For Reference Only. (2019, June 10). National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Retrieved June 30, 2023, from https://www.nichd.nih.gov/research/supported/seccyd

Pawl, J. H. (1993). Impact of day care on parents and family. Pediatrics Supplement, 1, 222. Retrieved January 11, 2007 from EBSCO Online Database Academic Search Premier. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=4755523&site=ehost-live

Shpancer, N., et al. (2002). The gap: Parental knowledge about daycare. Early Child Development & Care, 172 , 635-642. Retrieved January 18, 2007 from EBSCO Online Database Academic Search Premier. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=10779223&site=ehost-live

Singer, E. (2013). Play and playfulness, basic features of early childhood education. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 21, 172–184. Retrieved December 4, 2013 from EBSCO Online Database Education Research Complete. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=88103254

The NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development: Study Summary. Retrieved January 16, 2007, from http://secc.rti.org/summary.cfm

Votruba-Drzal, E., Coley, R., Koury, A. S., & Miller, P. (2013). Center-based child care and cognitive skills development: Importance of timing and household resources. Journal Of Educational Psychology, 105, 821–838. Retrieved December 4, 2013 from EBSCO Online Database Education Research Complete. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=89655553 Votruba-Drzal, E., Coley, R., Koury, A. S., & Miller, P. (2013). Center-Based Child Care and Cognitive Skills Development: Importance of Timing and Household Resources. Journal Of Educational Psychology, 105, 821-838.

What Is Child Care Licensing? (n.d.). Childcare.gov. Retrieved May 28, 2023, from https://childcare.gov/consumer-education/child-care-licensing-and-regulations

Suggested Reading

Bub, K. L., McCartney, K. (2004). On childcare as a support for maternal employment wages and hours. Journal of Social Issues, 60 , 819-834. Retrieved January 18, 2007 from EBSCO Online Database Academic Search Premier. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=14989715&site=ehost-live

Downer, J. T. (2006). Academic and cognitive functioning in first grade: Associations with earlier home and child care predictors and with concurrent home and classroom experiences. School Psychology Review, 35 , 11-30. Retrieved January 15, 2007 from EBSCO Online Database Academic Search Premier. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=20625376&site=ehost-live

Gulli, C. (2006). How young is too young? Maclean's, 119 (36/37) 52-54. Retrieved January 15, 2007 from EBSCO Online Database Education Research Complete. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=22332011&site=ehost-live

McMullen, M., & Apple, P. (2012). Babies (and their families) on board!. YC: Young Children, 67, 42–48. Retrieved December 4, 2013 from EBSCO Online Database Education Research Complete. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=85350247

Singer, E., Van Hoogdalem, A., De Haan, D., & Bekkema, N. (2012). Day care experiences and the development of conflict strategies in young children. Early Child Development & Care, 182, 1661–1672. Retrieved December 4, 2013 from EBSCO Online Database Education Research Complete. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=82703291