An overview of infant child care
The country’s child care system provides a range of options to look after your children when you are at work. Parents need to work to ensure they are able to earn money to take care of the family as well as to save for their children’s education fees. Different types of care are available for you to choose from when you and/or your partner are at work.

Most daycare centers offer child care in big groups; however, there are also some centers which provide one-to-one attention. It is important to research the child care system in the country as it is not financed by any state.

Below is a brief overview of infant child care in the country.

What are options available for infant child care?

Infant child care in the country’s child care system comes in two forms:

Infant daycare centers – At the daycare centers, child care is provided in small groups. They provide pre-school education to the children. It involves playing with other children to make the child more social from a young age. The daycare centers need to be licensed by the state. The basic requirements for the license may differ from one state to another.

In-home care and family care providers – Many parents prefer their children to be in the home environment. In this type of care, one caregiver supervises a small group of children in a home environment. There are also family child care providers that provide child care in the home of the children.

What factors decide the cost of child care?

Child care costs vary based on various factors. Some of the factors that play a role are:

Location – The rates and costs associated with child care vary depending upon which state you reside in as well as the city/town and the area.

Type of child care – Depending upon the type of child care, daycare center or in-home care/family care providers.

Age – Child care depends largely also upon the age of the child. Children of different age require different levels of care. The qualification requirements of the staff vary as per the age of the children they are taking care of. This plays an important role in the costs you incur.

Time – The amount of time your child would need care decided the costs.

How to choose the perfect child care for your child?

With time a large number of children are spending more time within a setting of child care. Infants and toddlers need an environment where they can develop and grow with the help of caregivers who are qualified. Below are some factors that may enable you to choose the right child care for your child:

• It is vital that the child’s caregiver is loving and nurturing. The caregiver must be responsive to the child.
• If choosing a daycare center, it is vital that the staff along with the caregivers are qualified.
• The center or home setting must be baby proofed. It should be clean and hygienic.
• For infants, there should be separate cribs, feeding spaces, and play zones.
• For toddlers, there should be stimulating activities like story tellings, games for cognitive development, etc.
• A low child to caregiver ratio is vital in ensuring your child is safe and being taken care of properly.

Is affordable child care available in the country?

• In 33 states along with Washington DC, the average cost of center-based child care for infants is higher than college tuition fees.
• Around 62% of mothers of infants belong to the labor force and cannot afford quality child care.
• Approximately 75% of toddlers in center-based care and about 93% in home-based care are provided care in low to mediocre settings which can be harmful to their growth and development.
• Quality child care is unavailble to those who need it the most.
• Changes are necessary in the country’s child care system to provide affordable child care to children belonging to low-income groups.