Is Daycare Really Bad for our Babies?

Daycare centers through out the country are finding the demand for their child care services greatly exceed their ability to provide them. With small numbers and a consistent caregiver quality home based child carers can provide an excellent start for young babies and children using childcare.

This is not disparaging day care centers, they do a fantastic job, however they are physically not able to provide the one on one care that in home child carers can offer within the constraints of the ECE regulations.

The Preferred Option for Parents

Home based care is viewed by most as preferable to day care center based because of the familiar environment, the low numbers (normally only two to four children) and the same caregiver each day. It also has the potential for the child to form an attachment with their care provider.

Unfortunately the cost is almost always more expensive for home based care than child care centers. Childcare centers, kindergartens and playcenters all receive significantly more funding than home based caregivers.

Positive Relationships

The people that work in the child care sector understand how important it is for children's wellbeing that they form secure attachments and positive caring relationships. The home based sector has made little progress with attracting more interest from local government and media, so there are many children who are missing out on the quality of home based care.

So is daycare bad for babies? Let parents choose to be parents and stay at home with their kids longer - one way of doing this is working for a home based service.

I look forward to continuing the debate Is Daycare Really Bad for our Babies next time.