“When it comes to finding child care, you want a program that’s convenient, open when you need it, and within your budget. But most importantly, you need a child care program that makes sure children are safe, healthy, and learning.”
Childcare.gov
What Are Childcare Services?
Childcare is the supervision and care given to a child by a person or persons other than the child’s parents. The children’s ages in childcare could vary from a few weeks until they can take care of themselves, usually up to the age of 18yrs. Care could be given to 1 child or multiple children at a time, depending on the service used.
The child could be taken care of in the child’s house, the caregiver’s house, or a professional centre. The duration of care could vary from a couple of hours, a workday, 12 hours, maybe even round the clock, as in the case of a live-in caregiver. Based on the time spent with the child, the caregiver would be required to supervise the child as they sleep or play, take care of their meals, bathe, clean them and even help with their schoolwork.
Importance of Childcare
Parents look for additional help for various reasons. Childcare or daycare gives parents much-needed assistance when they are busy, at work, need a break, or need additional help to manage daily tasks. The list varies. The paramount role of a child caregiver is to keep the child safe and healthy, followed by helping the children develop the skills needed to achieve their developmental milestones. Another advantage of a daycare or an additional caregiver is that the child learns how to relate to adults other than their parents. In a more professional setup, preparing the child with the skills required for school is also beneficial.
2 Main Types of Childcare Services
There are different types of childcare services available out there. Understanding each will enable us to figure out which type of childcare fits our needs best. There are two main types of childcare- Individual and group-based childcare.
- Individual Child-based Childcare
- Group-Based Childcare
As the name suggests, individual child-based childcare refers to 1 adult (other than the parent) taking care of 1 child, maybe 2 in the case of siblings. The care can be given either in the child’s or the caregiver’s home.
In the case of group-based childcare, there may be 1 or 2 adults taking care of a group of children. This can either be in the caregiver’s home or a more formal daycare centre.
Depending on the location and time spent, they can also be categorised as Childminders/ childcare givers, Preschools, Daycare centres/ Crèches. It’s heartwarming to know that many companies also offer corporate daycare to encourage parents to return to work. Let us now further investigate each of these.
Exploring 7 Diverse Types of Child Carers
- Childminders/Child Carers
- Babysitter
- Relative Daycare
- Family/In-Home Daycare
- Mother’s Helper
- Childcare Swap
- Preschool
In this type of child care, the caregiver takes care of the child either in the child’s house or in the caregiver’s house. The duration could range from a few hours to a full day or even continuous care, as in the case of a live-in caregiver. Each of these has a specific title, such as –
Nanny
These professionals usually have some training in childcare and are employed to take care of the child in the child’s own home. They may work a fixed number of hours per day or have a fixed weekly schedule.
Shared Nanny
This is similar to a Nanny, except that the nanny is shared between 2 homes, either 2 friends or relatives with children of similar ages having a similar schedule. The care is usually given in either one of the homes.
Au Pair
An Au Pair is usually a caregiver from a different country that lives with the family and gives continuous care to the child or children. An Au Pair is integrated into the family, eats meals with them and is even given a salary and a room to stay in.
These are caregivers employed on an hourly and as-needed basis. It could be in the babysitter’s home or the child’s home.
In this type of care, a trusted relative like a grandparent, aunt, uncle, or older cousin takes care of the child. Again, this could be in the relative’s or child’s home. The benefit of this is that the child is already familiar and comfortable with the caregiver.
The child is taken care of in the caregiver’s home in an informal setup. There may be a few more other children of different ages present there as well.
A Mother’s helper is a caregiver who watches the child while the parent is still at home. This, too, can range from a few hours to a full day. Usually, they are younger than the parents looking for experience in childcare. In India, we have an option of an “Ayah” who helps with childcare but also helps with some household chores.
This is a very convenient type of daycare between two or more parents who watch each other’s children in addition to their own in their own homes.
Children around the age of 2- 5yrs may attend preschool. This is a ceremonial center a child goes to for 2-3 hours daily. Multiple caregivers depend on the adult-child ratio that the preschool follows. These centres have an age-appropriate environment, equipment and materials, suitable activities, and a regular schedule for the children to follow. In this setup, similar-aged children are grouped.
What are Daycare Centres or Crèches?
Daycare centres/crèches are a formal setup dedicated to child care. Formal daycare centres are great for parents to drop off their children. Most daycare centres offer full-day or even half-day care services as required, including care, activities, healthy meals, a place for the child to take a nap and even the occasional outing or field trip.
Formal Preschool and Daycare centres like the ones offered by Eurokids are a safe choice for parents. Eurokids is a well-known and trusted brand in the childcare industry with centres all over the country and abroad, with a vast team of experts, parents and teachers. With over 20 years experience in the field, the Eurokids centres, activities and equipment is designed keeping in mind the holistic development and safety of the child.
The only limitation is that parents have very little say in what they expect, mainly because almost everything imaginable and more has already been taken care of, much to the pleasure and satisfaction of parents who have already enrolled their child in one of the conveniently located centres.
12 Essential Steps to Choose the Best Type of Daycare Centre for Your Child
Here are some reasons why a formal type of daycare centre like Eurokids helps your child grow and is an ideal choice in today’s scenario, it tick marks most of the boxes in our ‘tips for choosing a good daycare centre’s checklist.
- They have bigger space and more facilities.
- These types of daycare centres offer full-day or half-day care depending on the needs of the parents.
- They are very flexible when it comes to changes in the duration of childcare.
- Most of the staff is trained in childcare, so the needs of the child are understood and handled correctly.
- They can maintain a good adult-child ratio and have backup staff to fill in if required.
- Many offer healthy meals and snacks, and children learn good eating habits.
- They have more age-appropriate toys, books and equipment.
- Everything is designed keeping the child in mind- the areas are well-lit, colourful, and ventilated. Even the equipment is child-sized, child-safe, non-toxic, easy to use and according to height.
- These types of childcare centres are equipped to handle children of various ages. Hence, it is not only ideal for parents with more than one child but also for the children as they learn how to interact with each other, enhancing their social development.
- They have a structured schedule, and the children are engaged in various activities that enhance their growth and development.
- Many of them have activities that prepare your child for higher schooling.
- They have a good setup system in case of emergencies.
Conclusion
Professional Daycare centres like Eurokids have dedicated themselves to child care and hence with years of experience, can now anticipate what parents are looking for in a daycare- Trusted and dedicated staff, a stimulating yet safe environment for the child to explore and learn, a centre that fruitfully engages children of all ages, and most importantly keeps your child happy by offering them a home away from home. In this article, we have provided you with detailed information on childcare services for your little one. We have explained what childcare services are, their Importance, the two main types of childcare services, and seven types of childcare services.
Why not spend a few minutes, click here, and browse through our website to see that Eurokids kids is a trusted brand in Childcare services with over 1200 centres across the country and abroad, Having more than 21 yrs. experience. Be rest assured that your child is in the hands of a leading brand in childcare and education.
For informative and accurate articles on all things related to your new born-toddler’s development, growth, health and nutrition, follow EuroKids Blogs and do check out our nationally recognized preschools – EuroKids for the first step in your kid’s educational journey!
