Choosing the best daycare for your child can be difficult. You want your son or daughter to be in an environment with the highest health and safety standards that also provides activities that are fun – while still supporting learning. The cost of the center is can also be a concern. Your basic options may be choosing between an in-home daycare center and a corporate daycare center.
What Is an In-Home Daycare Center?
Home daycare is provided in the home of the caregiver or another private residence. Your child is cared for in a home setting. These daycares also often have a smaller caregiver-to-child ratio, which allows staff to give children more individualized attention. Children typically range in age from infants to toddlers and preschoolers. In-home care feels more like a family than a classroom, which many parents prefer for younger children. In Arizona, in-home daycare centers must be licensed by the state.
What Are the Pros and Cons of Home Daycare?
In-home daycare offers certain advantages for children and their parents:
Children often receive more individual attention.
With fewer children, your child is exposed to fewer illnesses.
Siblings can remain together in-home daycare.
The cost of home daycare is usually more affordable than at corporate centers.
In-home childcare is certified by the state, with mandatory inspections and Child Protective Services background checks. It is important to know that at home daycares in Arizona are required to service at least 5 children per caregiver in order to become certified.
There are also disadvantages to consider:
Home daycares may have limited backup plans. If a provider becomes ill or injured or has an emergency, working parents may be left in a bind.
In-home daycare providers are all individuals with different philosophies concerning childcare. A particular provider’s philosophy may not be in line with yours.
In-home childcare is not eligible for federal Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) reimbursement for nutritious meals and snacks served to children, as reported by the Department of Health Services.
What Is a Corporate Daycare Center?
Corporate daycare centers are usually located in commercial buildings. They may be privately-operated for profit or operated by nonprofit agencies, such as churches and schools. Corporate daycare centers typically have several staff members, overseen by a director. These centers are larger than in-home daycare centers and provide care for more children. They are usually divided into groups or classrooms of children of similar ages. Child daycare centers are state-licensed, with maximum caregiver-to-child ratios, mandatory inspections, Child Protective Services background checks, and optional food program eligibility.
What Are the Pros and Cons of a Corporate Center for Childcare?
The following are some of the pros of corporate daycare centers:
They offer multiple care providers. If one teacher becomes ill or injured, another teacher can fill in.
Teachers in larger daycare centers may have stronger educational backgrounds and may receive continuing education to fulfill ongoing education requirements by the daycare.
Age-based daycare classrooms have age-appropriate curriculums and activities to help children develop motor skills and prepare for school.
Cons of larger daycare centers include:
Higher overhead for a commercial property means higher costs to parents.
More children in attendance can expose your child to more germs.
Corporate daycare centers often teach a curriculum, which means your child may have less free play.
For legal assistance with a childcare personal injury matter, contact The Husband and Wife Law Team. Our personal injury attorneys are dedicated advocates for injured children.