About Child Care Businesses

With an increasing number of families that have both parents working outside the home, child care businesses have been growing in number and importance throughout the country. Child care businesses offer a range of services from a few hours of after-school care for elementary school students to full day care for newborns, infants and toddlers.

Function

Child care businesses offer daytime supervision for children, ranging from newborns to pre-teenagers, while their parents work. They offer before-school and after-school care for school-aged children and all-day care for younger children and toddlers. Child care business typically offer children meals and snacks, playtime, recreational activities and naptime. Other services, such as diaper changing, toilet training and skill development, are offered to infants and toddlers, while homework help and transportation to and from school are available for school-aged children.

Types

The types of child care businesses are differentiated by their size and the types of services they offer. Larger child care centers function similarly to preschools and can care for dozens of children depending upon their staffing level. These child care businesses typically have child-to-staff ratios of three- or four-to-one when caring for infants and toddlers to upwards of 10-to-one when caring for preteens. These child care centers will typically offer more services, such as pickup at the child's school, and are more apt to be able to care for children with special needs.

There are also smaller child care centers that are typically in a person's home. These businesses are usually run by one or two people and have fewer children in their care. These child care businesses can be limited in the services they offer, but because of their smaller size have more of a personal feel.

Significance

Child care businesses offer parents an option for affordable child care, a factor that has often been a barrier to both parents working outside the home. Because they care for multiple children at a time, child care centers are often cheaper than hiring a one-on-one child sitter or nanny. In many cases, without child care businesses, it would be difficult or impossible for both parents to work outside the home.
Also, child care businesses offer young children the opportunity to interact and socialize with other children of their age. This is something that isn't always available with a one-on-one child sitter.

Size

The size of child care businesses are determined by state and local laws, which restrict the number of children can be cared for in these centers. While exact regulations vary from state to state, in-home child care businesses can typically care for three or fewer children without a license. All other child care businesses must be licensed by the state they are in. Regulations, including staffing certifications, child-staff ratios and insurance guidelines, impact the number of children a business can care for.

Warning

If you are looking for a child care business, you should look at a number of factors, regardless of whether they are covered under state regulations. You should look at the child-staff ratio and determine if it will provide adequate care for your child. You should also consider the credentials of the staff, what screenings are required of them and what specialized training they have. It is also beneficial to check with the child care licensing bureau in your state to determine the status of the business license and if any complaints or violations have been filed.

Considerations

If you are considering out-of-home care for a child yet to begin school, you should consider a childhood development center. These facilities are comparable to typical daycare centers but have staff members with college degrees in education or childhood development. These centers can help children with skill developments, such as reading and writing, and are often a better options for young children, especially those with special needs.