Family Daycare

Pros and Cons

Pros: 

1. Affordability: 
It is one of the most affordable types of childcare out there.
Click here for information on what you can expect to pay on Day Care.

2. Usually less children than in a center based facility.  

3. Family Daycare centers in many states must meet minimum state regulations.

4. Privacy is not an issue. You don't have to open up your home to anyone.  

5. Your child will have more of a chance to socialize.

6. More personal: A home day care provider, if you find a good one,  can be much more personal than the professional daycare environment.

Cons:

1. Your child will be sick much more often depending on the number of children the daycare provider is responsible for.

2. Inconvenient.  Packing baby supplies, bundling kids up in the winter and getting yourself ready for work can be difficult.

3. High Turnover.  Many providers who work out of their homes suffer from burn out due to isolation.  It is a good idea to check how long this person has been running their home daycare and if they are associated with any professional organizations. 

4. If your child is very ill, even family daycare centers may not allow your child to attend.  You will need to find alternate care or be prepared to take days off from work.

5. Less regulated than a larger, center based daycare facility.  There are more opportunities for the care provider to be alone with your child.  More safety issues are present in someone's home.  Is the house babyproofed?  Are there pets present?  Is the home clean?

6.  If your work hours are longer than the standard hours of operation for the daycare center, you will need to arrange for drop off and/or pickup by either a family member or another childcare provider.

7.  Less control of who is coming and going in the house.  Will the care provider's husband be home during the day?  Will her teenagers and their friends be in and out?  These are questions to ask and if the answers concern you, you may wish to find another provider.

8. A Family Daycare provider can  decide to stop providing care without any notice, whereas a professional daycare center will not do that.