Benefits and Disadvantages of Various Childcare Options

1. Child Care

did you know

The American Rescue Plan, implemented by the White House, provides stabilization for child care programs, with aid already provided to more than 200,000 child care providers and 9.5 millions children in the United States (White House, 2022).

think about it

Think back about your experiences as far back as you can remember and/or from what your family, friends, and relatives have shared with you. Who took care of you during your early years? Why was your child care situation the way it was? How do you think your child care arrangements impacted you (e.g., if your parent(s) worked, then did you spend more time in out-of-home child care)?

Parents shape an infant’s experience by providing food, health care, a home, and stimulation that influences their cognitive development. Infants also are influenced by child care, and in the US, more than two-thirds of mothers of children under 6 are employed. Infants’ developmental outcomes are influenced more by characteristics of the family, such as parenting, maternal education, and maternal sensitivity, than by the type of child care.

Child care refers to caring and/or providing for a child in some manner. This is an important topic among families and the professional community because child care options vary across the world and are rooted in cultural perspectives on development. Moreover, since the environment plays an important role in infant developmental outcomes, child care settings are important to consider, especially if an infant spends a significant amount of time there. There are four categories of child care options which we will discuss in depth below:

• Relatives
• Home-based child care
• Center-based child care
• Other informal child care

watch

View this video to see how Anais’ parents decide on the type of childcare she will receive.

term to know

Child Care

Caring and/or providing for a child in some manner.

1a. Relatives

Relatives, as the name implies, are individuals who are related to the infant through blood or marriage. This includes mother(s), father(s), sibling(s), grandparent(s), aunt(s), uncle(s), and cousin(s). According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Survey of Income & Program Participation (SIPP), approximately 42.1% of children under 5 years of age are in the regular care of a relative (Laughlin, 2013). The following is a breakdown of the regular care arrangement (at least one time per week) of children under 5 in a typical week during spring 2011:

• Grandparent(s) - 23.7%
• Father(s) - 17.8%
• Mother(s) - 3.5%
• Sibling(s) - 2.6%
• Other relative(s) - 7.4%

key concept

Some of the benefits of utilizing relatives as a form of child care include:

1. Cost-effective - parent(s) do not need to pay for additional help, especially if the relative is living in the same household as the infant.
2. Flexibility - parent(s) can work alongside the relative with a less rigid schedule, especially in situations where employment hours may not be consistent.
3. Trust - parent(s) are more likely to trust a relative than a non-relative, but that varies from family to family.
4. Better transitions - since the infant may already be exposed to the relative, the transition from one caregiver to another may be easier than other types of child care arrangements.

In a study by Riley and Glass (2004), data was collected from 247 pregnant women who resumed paid employment within one year after the birth of their child. Researchers found that mothers preferred their infant to be cared for by the father or relatives and in the infant’s home. One factor, among many, that impacted the type of child care at 6 months of age was the mother’s employment schedule. Specifically, mothers working evening or night shifts were more likely to use kinship care. Mothers who worked less hours were also more likely to use infant child care through a relative or an in-home sitter while mothers with longer hours used formalized daycare or home daycare.

brainstorm

Given the various benefits of kinship care, what do you think are some disadvantages? Consider whether the relative’s age, experience with children, and the number of children to provide care for impact the decision to use kinship care.

1b. Home-Based

Home-based child care involves care provided in either the child or caregiver’s home but the caregiver is not a relative. It is possible that there may be multiple children that are being taken care of simultaneously in a home-based setting. Within home-based care, we often hear caregivers referred to as a nanny or a babysitter, both of whom are different. A babysitter is usually an individual who cares for a child for fewer hours, may not be as experienced as a nanny (e.g., credentials), and is hired for a short period of time. On the other hand, a nanny is a professional caregiver who has extensive credentials and/or experience working with children, cares for a child for long hours, and will help out in the long term.

An estimated 11.2% of children under 5 years of age had a regular non-relative child care arrangement in 2011 (Laughlin, 2013). 7.6% of the children were cared for in the provider’s home while only 3.7% were cared for in the child’s own home.

key concept

It is a challenging decision to determine the appropriate child care that meets the family’s needs. Being able to trust someone, especially a stranger, to independently provide for your baby can seem daunting. It is always recommended that parent(s) conduct a thorough background check on a potential babysitter or nanny to ensure that they are making the best decision for their baby. One way to ensure that a parent is choosing the right nanny or babysitter is through word-of-mouth (e.g., asking people around you whether they know of anyone that would be a good fit for your family).

terms to know

Home-Based Child Care

Child care that is provided in either the child or caregiver’s home but the caregiver is not a relative.

Babysitter

An individual who cares for a child for fewer hours, may not be as experienced as a nanny (e.g., credentials), and is hired for a short period of time.

Nanny

A professional caregiver who has extensive credentials and/or experience working with children, cares for a child for long hours and will help out in the long term.

1c. Center-Based

Center-based child care is a more organized type of facility that can include daycare, child care center, preschool, Head Start, and nursery school (Laughlin, 2013). Data from the SIPP indicates approximately 23.5% of children under 5 years were in some form of organized care in 2011. This type of child care is much different from the others because it is structured with set schedules and a curriculum. Depending on whether it is a small or large facility, the center can have classrooms and certified teachers who work with young children.

With infants, daycare centers have strict protocols they must follow.

EXAMPLE

It is sometimes the parent(s)’ responsibility to provide additional diapers, diaper cream, milk, and clothes in case of any mishap. Everything must be labeled with the baby’s name.

The local county health department monitors the facility to ensure that infant care is being provided with certain standards and all documentation is filed at the facility.

You were introduced to Jackie and James, alongside their two children Lucy and Michael, in a previous lesson. Let’s take the example further to gain insight into factors impacting child care decision-making.

IN CONTEXT

Lucy was two-years-old and always at home with her relatives; she had never been exposed to any formal care outside of the home. This was only possible because she was living with her maternal grandparents who were older. Lucy’s parents also alternated their work schedules so that at least one parent was always at home working and available in case of an emergency.

Jackie and James wondered how to manage child care for Michael. They were not in a position to work from home anymore and the kids’ grandparents had physical limitations due to their growing age. Jackie was favoring formal center-based daycare where professionals skilled in providing care for infants were available. James, on the other hand, wanted to hire a babysitter because it was more cost-effective. Both tried to understand the pros and cons of each option and came up with the following non-exhaustive list:

Daycare Advantages	Babysitter Advantages
Structured setting Social development through interaction with peers Ample opportunities to learn and play in stimulating environment Consistent caregiving	More affordable than daycare More energetic and match energy level More fun Works at your home so less transitioning challenges for infant Individualized attention
Daycare Disadvantages	Babysitter Disadvantages
Expensive (could cost thousands of dollars per year) Exposed to more illnesses Limited to standard work schedule and not evening/night shift workers Possible learning of negative behaviors (e.g., hitting, spitting, pushing, etc.)	May or may not be flexible Lack responsibility, depending on age Lack boundaries with the infant Lack of experience with infants

There were many deciding factors but ultimately, the parents wanted to do what was best, and most appropriate for Michael at a developmental level. Instead of selecting one option, Jackie felt that they needed to do more research and would also talk to their friends and see whether there were any other options that could be considered. Every family is different and so is every child, so exploring other options might help them decide on consistent child care arrangements.

term to know

Center-Based Child Care

An organized type of facility that can include daycare, child care center, preschool, Head Start, and nursery school.

2. Factors Influencing Child Care Decisions

There are many factors that impact whether an infant has access to good-quality and consistent child care, when necessary. These factors pertain to both the family as well as the child care facility. On a large scale, we should take into consideration the availability, accessibility, and affordability of child care (the three A’s; Yerkes & Javornik, 2019).

2a. Availability

Availability can be defined as the extent to which a child care provider and/or facility has resources to meet the needs of families.

EXAMPLE

For example, does the facility have the trained professionals to be able to accommodate a good provider-to-infant ratio? How many cribs are available, and what measures have been taken to reduce risk and promote infant health and safety?

2b. Accessibility

While some child care options may be available, they may not be accessible. Accessibility refers to being able to obtain the services and is closely tied to geographic location. For example, in rural areas parents are more likely to utilize home-based care and family care as opposed to center-based care (Anderson & Mikesell, 2019). In urban areas, it is possible that child care is accessible but not available (e.g., infant daycare is within walking distance but is at maximum capacity) or child care is available but not accessible (e.g., there are openings at the facility but it takes 45 minutes to get there).

think about it

Imagine that you have a baby and need to consider child care arrangements that work with your employment and family life. You already drive 30 minutes to get to work and another 30 minutes to come home but you find that there is a highly-rated daycare with another 10-minute drive. They only have one opening but placing your baby with that particular provider would mean doing all the routines and getting out of the house earlier in the morning.

What do you think you might do in this situation? Would you send your baby to that child care provider or not? Why?

2c. Affordability

The financial aspect of child care arrangements is related to affordability. Does a parent and/or caregiver have the financial means to pay for the child care expenses? Are there government programs available to help fund families, especially those below the poverty line? Relating this to availability, does a child care facility have part-time options so that there is a minimal financial burden on the family? These questions regarding finances are vital determinants of child care arrangements across the world.

REFERENCES

The United States Government. (2022, October 21). Fact sheet: American rescue plan funds provided a critical lifeline to 200,000 child care providers – helping millions of families to work. The White House. Retrieved March 28, 2023, from www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/10/21/fact-sheet-american-rescue-plan-funds-provided-a-critical-lifeline-to-200000-child-care-providers-helping-millions-of-families-to-work/

Who’s minding the kids? child care arrangements: Spring 2011 - census.gov. (n.d.). Retrieved March 28, 2023, from www2.census.gov/library/publications/2013/demo/p70-135.pdf

Anderson, S., & Mikesell, M. (2019). Child care type, access, and quality in rural areas of the United States: A review. Early Child Development and Care, 189(11), 1812-1826.

Riley, L. A., & Glass, J. L. (2002). You can't always get what you want—Infant care preferences and use among employed mothers. Journal of Marriage and Family, 64(1), 2-15.

Yerkes, M. A., & Javornik, J. (2019). Creating capabilities: Childcare policies in comparative perspective. Journal of European Social Policy, 29(4), 529-544.