Why do parents choose Family Child Care Providers?
Parents choose family child care for several reasons, including: • They prefer their children to spend their days in a home-like environment and a smaller group setting (compared to a child care center). • They prefer to relate to a single caregiver, and possibly an assistant who may be a family member. Children may have a consistent caregiver from infancy through school-age. • They may want all their children to be cared for together, for convenience and so that siblings can interact during the day. Family child care homes can care for children from birth to 12 years of age together. • Sometimes they choose family child care because they find it closer to home, less expensive or more flexible. Some home providers offer care beyond the typical weekday 7:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. schedule, to serve families with evening, night or weekend work hours. Many families find that their family child care provider and her family become like extended family over the years. What licensing regulations must
