Released July 5, 2007
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Here's a question many parents must consider: Is putting their children in day care good, bad or indifferent?
The answer, said a Texas Cooperative Extension expert, is: All of the above.
"It can be good or it can be bad or it can be indifferent," said Steve Green, Extension child development specialist. "The key issue related to child care is quality."
Leaving their children in some kind of care facility is a fact of life for many parents in this country, he said.
"Over 13 million children in America spend time in non-parental care arrangements and the (numbers) continue to increase," Green said.
Almost 75 percent of the children aged 3-6 in this country are included in that number, he added.
For the parents of those children, finding quality day care situations becomes a priority, he said. While the size of the facility and cost of its services are factors in that choice, they aren't the only ones.
"Regardless of the type of care, if it is high in quality, the kids will fare better," Green said.
But what do parents look for when evaluating child day care situations? Green offered the following three criteria, as suggested by Karen DeBord, North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service child development specialist:
- Availability or accessibility. What types of care centers or facilities are available in the community and do they suit your family's needs? Available facilities may be center-based, family day-homes, church-affiliated centers or even grandparents or other relatives or friends. Parent should consider distance, hours of operation and what age children the facility will accept. In some communities, however, availability may be limited.
"In rural areas parents often have difficulty finding quality care," Green said.
- Affordability. Does the cost of having the children in the care facility fit into the family budget? Some families might qualify for subsidized child care if their income falls below certain levels, Green said.
- Quality. The cost of the care is not always an accurate indication of the quality of the care, Green said. Will the programs at the center contribute to the child's growth and development? What is its staff-to-child ratio? What is the staff turnaround rate? How well educated is the staff and are they warm and responsive to children? What kinds of activities – such as age-appropriate books, toys, blocks, puzzles, games and art supplies – are available to the children at the center? Is the center a family-friendly place that promotes the health and safety of the children and encourages parents to drop in and visit? What kind of nutrition is provided and when? Is it clean? Are medicines and cleaning supplies kept locked up and away from children? How does the center deal with children who are sick?
Keeping these factors in mind, parents should go visit each center, Green advised.
"Don't just go to one," he said. "Check out all that are available. Interview the director; ask questions."
Then talk to friends, relatives and co-workers who have used the child care facilities and learn about their experiences and opinions about the centers, Green said. Also check the Web site of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services at http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/ and click on the link to Child Care Licensing.
Finally, he said, parents need to pay attention to their own feelings about the center: Ask themselves if they would feel comfortable leaving their children there for hours every day?
Like other aspects of life, perfection in child care does not exist, Green said, but with some time and effort, parents can find the best care situation for their family.
For more information on this and other child development issues, visit Extension's Family and Consumer Sciences Web site at http://fcs.tamu.edu/ and click on the link to Families.
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http://agnews.tamu.edu/dailynews/stories/CFAM/Jul0507a.htm
Source: Steve Green, (979) 845-3850, s-green@tamu.edu
Writer: Linda Anderson, 979-862-1460, lw-anderson@tamu.edu
