Elaine Wilson
Parenting Specialist
Oklahoma State University
Patricia S. Tweedie
Child Care Aware Project Assistant
Oklahoma State University
Copyright/Access Information
All parents, at one time or another, need to find someone to help
with child care. Good child care arrangements can improve the
quality of daily life for children and parents. Contacts with
caring adults can broaden the child's experience and give the
parent some relaxation and important information about the child's
development. Play with other children can help a child gain mental
and social skills.
It is not unusual for parents to feel guilty when leaving the
care of their child to another person. However when parents select
quality care, spend quality time with their child and keep up
with their progress, it is easier to dispel these guilt feelings.
Parents who work outside the home can be excellent parents. Your
child can adapt to new situations, but she will need the security
of knowing that you are there to help her feel comfortable in
her new arrangement. You are still the most important person in
her life.
Selecting child care is an important decision. Even if the child
care is only for an occasional evening out, a parent will want
a caring individual with special training. Consider hiring youth
in a 4-H Child Care Project or those in Scout training in child
care.
If you need regular care while you work, start your search early
and take advantage of agencies that can help.
Oklahoma Child Care Aware:
By calling 1-800-799-1699, Oklahoma parents can receive printed
information on how to choose quality care, as well as how to contact
their local resource and referral agency, Department of Human
Services licensing representative, and Oklahoma State University
Extension Center.
Resource and Referral Agencies:
These agencies serve many Oklahoma counties and have lists of
licensed facilities, can help locate local care and guide a parent
toward the type of care they want. Call Oklahoma Child Care Aware
at 1-800-799-1699 for information on agency service to certain
counties. Call National Child Care Aware at 1-800-424-2246 for
information on resource and referral agencies nationwide.
Department of Human Services:
Department of Human Services has lists of licensed homes and centers.
Call to request a list. Visit the office to read the records of
facilities you might use. Their publication "Quality Child
Care: A Handbook for Parents" [In Oklahoma] can help parents
in evaluating child care facilities. Other publications are also
available.
Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension Centers:
County home economists provide research based information to parents
and caregivers on child care. Oklahoma State University staff
present talks on child development issues, and can refer parents
to other helpful resources. She can help parents and community
leaders get organized to improve the quality of child care for
economic and community development.
National Academy of Early Childhood Programs:
By calling 800-424-2460, parents can receive a list of accredited
programs in Oklahoma.
National Association for Family Child Care:
By calling 615-834-7872, parents can receive a list of accredited
family child-care homes in Oklahoma.
A licensed facility, whether a home or center, must meet minimum standards established by the Department of Human Services. Their
publications "Licensing Requirements for Day Care Centers"
and "Licensing Requirements for Family Day Care Homes" explain in detail. They include standards for health and safety,
adult-child ratios for age groups, training requirements for staff,
equipment, daily program, nutrition, and behavior and guidance. Licensing regulations apply to all programs serving children
more than 15 hours a week.
An accredited program has passed rigorous national screening
by either the National Association of Early Childhood Programs
or the National Association for Family Child Care. Accredited
programs meet standards beyond those established by the state
licensing agency. These standards include staff-parent communication,
developmental curriculum, and anti-bias issues. As of the fall
of 1994, there were 33 accredited child care centers in Oklahoma.
While cost and convenience are important considerations in
selecting care, you will want to think of what is best for your
child's age, personality, abilities, and interests. Think about
your beliefs and attitudes in such areas as discipline, education,
nutrition, and training. You will want the caregiver to respect
your family values. Most of all, you want a caregiver who genuinely
likes you and your child.
The names of the types of child care arrangements can mislead
consumers. A play program is best for preschool children. A formal
program is too stressful and interferes with a young child's natural
enjoyment of learning. Some typical child care arrangements that
may be available in your community are the following.
Family child care homes provide care for children of various
ages in the provider's home. Licensed homes provide care for up
to seven children. Infants and toddlers need much individual care
and attention. If all the children are under 2 years old, Oklahoma
regulations allow only 5 children to a home. This is the most
popular type of care for children under three. Most parents want
their baby to be with a small number of other children. A child
who has no brothers or sisters can have an experience of being
with children of different ages in a child care home. Children
may participate in activities usually available in a neighborhood
setting. They can visit the library, go to the park, and attend
special events. Family child care may offer flexible hours. Some
provide transportation to school and lessons. The child and family
enjoy the consistency of one provider.
Day care centers may be in private homes, churches, or
specially built facilities. Centers usually serve eight or more
children and must meet state licensing requirements. Hours of
operation vary. Child care centers offer less flexibility because
they care for large numbers of children. Quality centers offer
a program suited to the age and developmental ability of the children
served. Child care corporation's offer franchised child care nationwide
and regionally.
Head Start offers educational programs for children and
supplemental health and social services for families. The ages
of the children served vary, as do the hours. Most of the programs
in Oklahoma operate mornings for children 3 and 4 years old. The
program serves low income families or children with special health
or handicapping conditions.
Nursery schools and mother's day out programs may enroll
any children under the age of five. They usually operate mornings
or early afternoons, two to five days a week. As of fall 1994,
Oklahoma law requires that the Department of Human Services licenses
these programs.
Kindergartens may be public or private and usually enroll
children who are five to seven years of age, for all or part of
the day. They provide an educational program. They usually follow
the holiday schedule of the public schools. Many children express
stress in structured and academic kindergartens. A formal school
setting of desks and workbooks is not appropriate in early childhood.
Look for a developmentally appropriate kindergarten.
Military child care centers on base serve dependents. Some
branches of the military require accreditation to ensure quality.
Military child care serves the largest number of children.
Employer supported child care refers to programs that a
corporation operates or supports. Most employee supported child
care is an on-site center at a hospital. On-site care in two Oklahoma
hospitals reduced employee absenteeism and tardiness. Some employers
buy spaces at local centers and family child care homes. Others
help existing centers and homes gain accreditation or training
to improve quality.
Sitters are perhaps the most popular child care arrangement.
Parents ask or hire relatives or non-relatives to care for their
children in their own home or in the home of the sitter. To locate
a sitter, most parents ask friends and neighbors. Some use ads
in local newspapers. If the sitter works on a regular basis, the
parent must pay minimum wage and Social Security.
Nannies may have had specialized training in child care,
health and safety, and nutrition. Families may hire nannies to
live in the home or to come to the home daily. Wages will be higher
for this skilled care. Two Oklahoma colleges graduate five to
ten trained nannies each year.
Camps, fun clubs, and school-age child care serve children
enrolled in elementary school. Schools, churches, parks, and community
centers may house these programs. They operate after school, on
school holidays, and during the summer months. Some have early
morning before school hours.
Child Care Cooperatives offer child care to suit one group
of parents. The parents usually form a corporation and hire a
director. The parents set the policies and procedures, pay fees,
and volunteer services in return for quality child care. Rural
communities find that cooperatives work well.
The following results of research studies of different arrangements
for child care may help you make your selection.
The majority of parents select in-home care by relatives and friends.
This arrangement may suit your needs, especially if your child
is under three years of age or older than six. However, recent
research findings show that being licensed is more important to
quality child care and being related is less important than most
parents believed. Being regulated or licensed has a stronger relationship
to quality than any other factor. Relatives and friends may not
really want to be taking care of children. They may do it to help
a working mother. Their care is of lower quality and harmful to
a child's development.
Different arrangements have different effects on different children.
Find arrangements that best serve you and your child. No arrangement
is best for all children. It is usually the quality of child care,
not the type of care, that really matters. In almost all situations,
good quality care is good for children and their families.
Smaller group sizes work best. Select arrangements that place
your child among a small number of children with a few adults.
Licensing standards determine maximum group size. Many centers
operate at the maximum to reduce costs. Be sure your child is
not changing groups, teachers, and group size frequently just
to keep ratios within the licensing limits. The equipment, supplies,
room size, and arrangement must adequately serve the number of
children. Children experience stress when programs require lining
up and sharing.
People who have received training in child care do a much better
job. Cost increases with the caregiver's level of formal education.
Their training in child care usually does not increase costs.
Look for the Child Care Careers symbol on the wall or on a pin
that the caregiver wears. This insures that the caregiver has
completed specific training in child care. Many caregivers in
centers, family day care homes, and Head Start programs are Child
Development Associates. This is a national early childhood professional
credential. Child Development Associate candidates complete 120
hours of specific training, and prepare a professional resource
file. CDA candidates must pass a parent opinion survey, a written
test, an oral interview, and an on-site observation.
STAFF: CHILD RATION
Infants (0-9 months of age) 1:4
Toddlers (10-23 months of age) 1:6
2-year-olds 1:8
3-year-olds 1:12
4 and 5-year-olds 1:15
6 years and over 1:20
MAXIMUM GROUP SIZE
Infants (0-9 months of age) 8
Toddlers (10-23 months of age) 12
2-year-olds 16
3-year-olds 24
4 and 5-year-olds 30
6 years and over 40
School-age children may prefer the quiet of a small group or
active involvement with many other children. Their needs depend
upon their personalities and type of experience they have at school.
Children in a highly structured kindergarten need a relaxed after-school
program. The location of the program (school, church, YMCA) does
not ensure quality. An after school program needs the same close
look that you would give any care arrangement. Look for the license.
Read the licensing records. Follow the same recommendations for
evaluation that you would for the care of a child of any other
age or at any other facility.
If the child is especially mature, some parents arrange for the
school-age child to be at home alone. Latchkey children need definite
guidelines. They must have access to responsible adults. The home
and neighborhood must be safe. If you select self-care, contact
your Oklahoma State University Extension Center for video tapes
and literature to help you and your child.
Stability of care is important. Look for family child care homes
with a year or more of experience and plans to stay in business.
Look for centers where staff has remained at work for several
years and plans to stay. A 1988-89 study of Oklahoma child care
programs showed a staff turnover rate of 44% for teachers and
60% for assistants. Quality programs will have a much lower turnover
rate, giving your child care from the same experienced, trained
workers for a year or more. Changing caregivers stresses children
and families.
Make preliminary screening of caregivers or facilities by phone. Ask caregivers about:
If your child will receive care away from your home, visit the
home or center. Look around at the rooms and children. Remember
that everyone has good and bad days. You may need to visit again
to get a realistic idea of the atmosphere your child will experience.
Plan to do so at lunch, nap, indoor and/or outdoor times. Ask
yourself:
Observe the caregiver(s) as they interact with the children.
Ask the caregiver (whether at a center or in a home) some specific
questions about discipline. Ask for any other information that
you feel is important.
If your child is an infant or toddler, look for these practices
or ask about:
Quality child care offers activities that are correct for each
child's age, interests, abilities, and family background. The
staff and other families respect and appreciate different cultures
and lifestyles. They do not require children to learn certain
things, to stand in line, or to sit quietly and listen for more
than five to ten minutes.
The classrooms are active and pleasantly noisy. You hear mainly
and occasionally the teacher's voice. Children choose their own
play activities and play at their own pace. Rarely are all the
children doing the same thing at the same time. In developmentally
appropriate programs, you see very creative art work, not ten
little Easter bunnies all alike.
Appropriate programs welcome parents at anytime. Parents share
their talents and culture with the group. Family members can come
into the center or home and play with the children. Staff arranges
time to talk with parents.
After you have selected the type of care and the facility,
be sure you understand details that can make the transition easier
for you and your child. Many family care homes may have, and all
centers should have, a brochure that explains many of these details.
It is wise to have them in written form.
1. Ask about fees. Is a payment necessary to reserve a space for
your child on a waiting list? When are payments due? Is there
a late pickup fee? Are there extra activity fees, especially during
summer programs? Does the program accept DHS and Social Security
rates if you qualify?
2. Get medical records and release forms. Provide up to date immunization
records, emergency contacts, and the names of all those who will
be picking up your child.
3. Keep tax records. Contact the IRS about tax credits and deductions
for child care. Inquire about minimum wage, social security, and
income tax withholding for the in-home care you employ.
4. Bring familiar materials from home. Provide a change of clothing
for your child, and include a sweater for weather changes. Find
out if your child may bring toys and food from home. Respect the
caregiver's policy concerning these matters.
5. Plan an adjustment period. Plan to spend extra time when you
take your child the first several days, or when the caregiver
comes to the house. You may need to stay with your child for a
while. It is natural for a child to show some anxiety by crying
and clinging when you leave. A calm departure by the parent may
help this transition. Some parents must go to work right away.
Ask a friend or family member to help.
You have spent time and energy in selecting appropriate child
care for your family and opened communication with your child's
caregiver. Keep involved by asking how things are going, expressing
thanks, and offering help, suggestions, and materials. Keep the
caregiver informed about what is happening in your child's life.
Do not wait for a problem to happen. Make an appointment to discuss
concerns. It is hard to talk at pickup time with everyone tired,
hungry, and in a hurry. Have the caregiver call you when time
allows. Friendly cooperation will give the best results for your
child. When things are going well, let the caregiver know. We
all like appreciation for a job well done.
Visit with your child about the day's activities as you ride home,
prepare dinner, or carry out other daily routines. Let your child
know that you think of him or her when you are apart. Do not be
so busy at the end of the day that you don't have time to spend
with your child. Bedtime routines, which include a story, a review
of the day, and a plan for tomorrow, can be especially important
for developing a child's sense of security and well being. Children
need plenty of physical warmth and affection from you.
Sometimes, despite a careful search and selection of a quality
program, you may find that your child does not adjust to or like
the child care arrangement. Some of the reasons may be the particular
makeup of the group, personalities of a few children, or size
of the group. Listen to your child. If it is not in his or her
best interest to remain there, follow your intuition and do something
about it.
Selecting child care is a difficult task, and one you will not
want to do very often. However, your needs may change, or your
child may show a need for a change. Work with the caregiver if
you need to make a new arrangement. Your child and the caregiver
need time to prepare for the transition. Help your child adjust
by having him or her visit the new setting, bring a good-bye gift
to the caregiver, and take pictures of friends. All people, regardless
of age, need support for beginnings and endings in their lives.
Are you and your family becoming wise consumers of child care?
It takes much work to learn about quality child care. This information
and other materials can help you learn about developmentally appropriate
practices for young children.
Here are some true/false items for you to think about and talk
over with others.
____ 1. In Oklahoma, the Department of Human Services licenses
child care centers, family child care homes, and mother's day
out programs.
____ 2. College graduates do a better job of teaching and caring
for young children, even if they have a degree in an unrelated
field, like history.
____ 3. Oklahoma does not license a child care program if it is
in a church, or only cares for a few children.
____ 4. Young children learn best through play.
____ 5. In Oklahoma, child care programs must use positive guidance.
1. True 2. False 3. False 4. True 5. True
Atkinson, A. M. (1994). Rural and urban use of child care.
Family Relations, 43, 16-22.
Bredekamp S. Ed. (1989). Developmentally appropriate practice
in early childhood programs serving children from birth through
age eight. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education
of Young Children.
Manfredi-Petitt, L.A. (1993). Child Care: It's More Than the Sum
of Its Tasks. Young Children, 49, 40-42.
Isadora, R. 1990. Friends. New York: Greenwillow Books.
Rogers, F. 1985. Going to Day Care. New York: G. P. Putnams' Sons.
Yates, M. 1988. Mommy's Coming Back. Singapore: Abingdon Press.
FORMAT AVAILABLE: :: Series - In Print -
4 pages
DOCUMENT REVIEW: Level
2 - Oklahoma State University Extension
DOCUMENT SIZE:: 27K or 9 pages
ENTRY DATE:: December 1996
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