Child Care Settings
There are multiple different environments where safe, affordable, high quality child care can be provided. Each child care setting has different benefits. Read on to learn which child care setting might work best for your family's needs.
Family Child Care Homes
Family child care home providers care for a small group of children in their own private home, such as a house, apartment, or condo unit. Families often report that family child care providers are able to offer a more individualized experience for families, often sharing a culture or language that helps families to build trust with their provider.
These providers are licensed by the Office of Early Childhood and must meet the minimum standards for safety and quality.
Group Homes
Group child care homes are similar to family child care homes but serve a slightly larger group of children (up to 12). Group child care homes may also be located somewhere other than inside a providers home but still offer a smaller, more intimate child care setting.
These providers are licensed by the Office of Early Childhood and must meet the minimum standards for safety and quality.
Child Care Centers
Child care centers provide care for groups of children, often placed in classrooms by age. They typically have many staff members who care for children. A child care center is managed by a center director, who oversees the program and its staff. Child care centers are usually located in commercial buildings and operated by individual owners, for-profit chains, government agencies, public schools or nonprofit entities such as faith-based organizations and community organizations. They usually offer full-time child care services. These centers are licensed by the Office of Early Childhood and must meet the minimum standards for safety and quality.
Interdistrict Magnet School Programs
Interdistrict Magnet Schools, like magnet schools, are designed to attract students by offering high quality curriculum and a range of themes. Students attending interdistrict magnets engage in learning with their peers from nearby suburban towns in support of efforts to reduce racial, ethnic, and economic isolation.
Informal In-Home Care
Informal in-home child care is care provided in the child’s or caregiver’s home by a person who is a relative, friend, neighbor, babysitter, or nanny. This type of care may also be known as family, friend, and neighbor care and is not usually regulated by states or territories. Informal in-home child care can range from a few hours at night for a parent’s night out to full-time care arrangements.
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