Ideal Childcare Settings

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The history of child care is a universal practice that has been around for centuries that was only at first usually practiced among relatives. However, over the past decades with the increase in women employment, single parent homes, and the economy mothers and families have begun enrolling their children in child care centers regularly. Consequently, childcares became the norm in society and by the 1990’s 6 million infant and toddlers were in regular non parental child care (Phillips & Adams, 2001). Now that a high demand for child care was needed parents were faced with the issue of seeking suitable care facilities that conformed to certain standards, their budget, values, and other factors that were preferred and fit their needs. Since there are so many different child care types, principles, programs, and etc. that parents can choose from it can be difficult to know what to look for and decide what the best fit is for your child. This paper will briefly go over the cost, variety of child care arrangements, childcare regulations, and personnel qualifications among other factors to consider when choosing proper care for your children and their development.
The first factors parents should consider when childcare is decided to be needed are the affordability, availability, type of care desired, and quality of the center they might choose. These three factors directly affect the parent’s capability to manage their work and family life, which is why they must be decided upon first. Child care for infants and toddlers are more costly than care given to older children. The average child care prices in urban areas in 47 states found that in over one-half of the cities surveyed full-time care for an infant was more than $6, 032 per y...

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...onal 13% had a two year college degree (Hofferth, 1996).
Along with selecting a quality child care center a child’s mental, cognitive stimulation and emotional development is not derived from child care alone but is a mixture of what transpires at home along with the child care setting. Parents and the home environment are stated to be the predominant influence on children’s adjustment, well-being, and development (Phillips & Adams, 2001). Making sure these factors are implemented helps to enhance positive cognitive outcomes.

References

Hofferth, S. L. (1996). Child Care in the United States Today. Financing Child Care, Vol. 6, No. 2, pg. 41-61.
Phillips, D., & Adams, G. (2001). Child Care and Our Youngest Children. Caring for Infants and Toddlers, Vol. 11, No. 1, 35-51.
Scarr, S. (1998). American Child Care Today. American Psychologist, Vol. 53, No. 2, 95-108.

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