Home Daycare Vs. Childcare Centers

Enrollment

• Home daycare generally has smaller groups of children than daycare centers due to state regulations. This improves the likelihood that your daughter's need for one-to-one attention will be met. Home day care provides a mixed aged group while day care centers group children according to age groups. If you are looking for child care closely resembling a family environment, home day care is your best option. Day care centers mimic a school setting for little ones.

Scheduling

• Day care centers are open even if the teacher of your son's class is sick. The center will find a substitute. When the provider of a home day care goes on vacation or falls ill, you are left to find alternate child care or take your own sick or vacation time. A home day care provider will generally set limits about the hours she works but is generally able to provide flexibility if you have a change in schedule at the last minute or are running late. Daycare centers have set hours.

Pricing

• Home day care may provide flexibility in very part-time hours at an hourly rate while a day care center generally sticks to blocks of time in their pricing rates. For example, some day cares will charge in four-hour blocks of time while others charge in six. You'll have to shop around for the best price while avoiding compromising the care of your daughter. Home day care is less likely to charge you a fee for every minute past a certain time that you are late as day care centers do.

Education

• While home day care providers may be educated in early childhood education, many are not. Many of their businesses thrive on word of mouth passed along from satisfied customers. While the level of care may be adequate and the provider may be friendly and loving, she may not be up to date on the latest educational advancements as day care center staff are. In state-regulated day care facilities, staff are required to have a certain level of early childhood education to work with children.