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Families > Licensed Choices

Licensed Child Care Choices

There are two types of licensed child care, a child care center or family care. Each has advantages and disadvantages and are discussed in more detail below.

Child Care Center

Offers full or part-time child care in a group setting. Children are in groups with same age children. Centers provide materials and age-appropriate planned activities. Smaller centers may have mixed age groups for parts of the day.

Advantages
Dependable schedule; open daily year round; availability usually not affected by teacher illness or absence. There is usually a formal plan for involving and staying in touch with parents. Opportunities for children to join up with children their own age.

Disadvantages
May not meet needs of parents with late, early, rotating, or part-time work schedules; usually less able to adjust to changes in parent schedules or emergencies. Larger group sizes and instability in staffing may pose a difficulty for some children and families. Children attending a full-day center for only part of the day, or for less than a full week, may have more challenges creating friendships or fitting in when most other children attend full time; they may not have a sense of stability.

Staff to Child Ratio in a Child Care Center

Age	Staff Child Ratio	Max Group Size
1 - 11 mo.	1:4	8
12 - 29 mo.	1:7	14
30 mo. - 5 yr.	1:10	20
5 yr. and older	1:15	30

Family Child Care Homes

Offers full or part-time child care in a person’s home. Children in mixed age groups within a home-like setting.

Advantages
Provide smaller group setting that may be more desirable for some children. Children must adjust to fewer adults during the day and have a chance to form a close bond with caregiver. May be more flexible than center-based care in terms of hours, part-time or non-standard work hours. Often most available type of care in communities; wide variety of caregiver styles and settings are possible. Home-like setting may better meet the needs of some children. Care costs may be a bit lower than centers or in-home care.

Disadvantages
Back-up care will be needed for times when the provider is ill or on vacation. Availability may be subject to provider’s health and changes in personal situations. Parents and providers have a close bond, which can lead to conflict if communication is not good and if values and child-rearing styles differ greatly.

Staff to Child Ratio in Family Care

Number of providers required	Child age range	Max children under 2	Max children
Licensee	Birth - 11	2	6
Licensee 1 yr experience	2-11	None	8
Licensee 1 yr experience	5-11	None	10
Licensee 1 yr experience & assistant	Birth - 11	4	9
Licensee 2 yrs experience and training	3-11	None	10
Licensee 2 yrs experience, and training & assistant	Birth - 11	4	12