Child Care Overview and Cultural Considerations
– Child care varies across cultures.
– Cultural practices and responsibilities differ in child care.
– Center-based child care should be aware of and respect different cultures.
– Children should have their cultural practices represented.
– Child development is not universal and is influenced by culture.
Child Care by Country
– Australia has a large child care industry.
– Availability of child care is limited in certain areas.
– The Australian Government provides assistance with child care costs.
– Regulation is governed by the Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority.
– Childcare workers must have the minimum Certificate III in Children’s Services.
– Canada offers both private and subsidized daycare centers.
– Some shortages of subsidized openings can lengthen the time needed to find a suitable childcare provider.
– Not-for-profits are more likely to produce high-quality environments for children.
– Local governments may operate non-profit day care centers.
– Labor is the largest expense for child care providers in Canada.
– Childcare in Denmark: Most day-cares accept children aged 6 months to 3 years.
– 91.2% of 1-2 year olds are enrolled in day-care institutions.
– Day-cares are mainly managed by municipalities and government funded.
– Types of institutions include separate day-care institutions, kindergartens with a day-care department, and in-home day-care.
– Day-cares are play-based and staffed by trained social educators or pedagogues.
– Childcare in France: Childcare providers in France require a certain level of formal education.
– Two branches of early childhood childcare: crèche for infants and toddlers, and école maternelle as part of the education system.
– Public, private, and family child care services are available.
– France spends 3.6% of GDP on family policies.
– Services are offered to residents and vaccinated children.
– Childcare in Germany: Preschool education is provided in Kindertagesstätte (Kita).
– Kita includes Kinderkrippe (crèche) for toddlers and Kindergarten for older children.
– Kitas are run by public and free carriers, subsidized by the states.
– Alternative daycare can be provided by Tagespflegepersonen (day mothers).
– Preschool education is increasingly seen as part of overall education, with staff being trained at universities.
– Childcare in India: India has a system of universal childcare provided by the state through Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS).
– ICDS provides food, preschool education, healthcare, immunization, and referral services.
– Nutritional support is provided based on age and protein requirements.
– Private childcare services are available for wealthier families.
– ICDS faces challenges and operational gaps in consistent service delivery.
– Childcare in Japan: Licensed childcare falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.
– Childcare facilities are run by private or public organizations.
– Japan has a universal childcare system with subsidies for working families.
– Fee schedules are based on household incomes and the number of children requiring childcare.
– Licensed childcare for ages 3-5 is free for single-parent or working parents, with some costs not covered by the government.
Types of Child Care
– Child care can be provided by various individuals and groups.
– Care facilitated by similar-aged children has developmental and psychological effects.
– Extended family members can also take on the caregiving role.
– Center-based child care is on the rise, with paid caretakers, orphanages, or foster homes providing care.
– Professional caregivers work in center-based or home-based care settings.
Implications of Child Care
– Child care at an early age can have long-term impacts on educational attainment.
– Accessible and affordable child care increases labor force attachment for parents.
– Child care has disproportionate benefits for communities lacking in child care programs.
– Child care can contribute to the overall diversity of a community.
– Child care should support cultural practices and provide opportunities to learn about other cultures.
Child Care in Specific Countries
– Childcare in Mexico: President Felipe Calderón Hinojosa created Programa de Estancias Infantiles.
– Program includes over 8,000 daycare spaces.
– Subsidizes working and studying mothers, as well as single fathers in vulnerable situations.
– Childcare on the rise in Mexico due to increasing interest and economic development.
– High costs made childcare unavailable for low-income families.
– Debate on how working women would pay for expensive services.
– Street children and their upbringing debated.
– Childcare categorized into governmental institutions, religious organizations, and independent agencies.
– Focus on defeminization of labor and defamilization of care.
– Increase in early childhood education and care services (ECEC).
– Childcare in Norway: Children start daycare between 10 months and 3 years old.
– Funded parental leave for working parents.
– Government guarantees daycare for all children at least 1 year old.
– Coverage close to 100% in most regions.
– Maximum price to ensure affordability.
– Norway praised as one of the best countries to raise a child.
– Prominent welfare system and family benefits.
– Maternity Package and allowance for child care.
– Fees for child care in kindergarten capped at NOK 2,500.
– Childcare in Spain: Paid maternity leave of 16 weeks for mothers.
– 5 weeks of paternity leave for fathers.
– High enrollment in pre-school programs.
– Subsidized child care in Spain.
– State-led childcare services require proof of low income.
– Childcare in the United Kingdom: Childcare inspected and regulated by His Majesty’s Inspectors.
– Care for children under five split into different categories.
– Specific regulations and standards for child care in England.
– Availability of government subsidies for child care.
– Combination of state and private nurseries for three to four year olds.
– Childminding and Daycare in the UK: Childminders in the UK are registered professionals with protected titles.
– Registered childminders are trained, insured, and qualified in Pediatric First Aid.
– They comply Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_care
Child care, otherwise known as day care, is the care and supervision of a child or multiple children at a time, whose ages range from two weeks of age to 18 years. Although most parents spend a significant amount of time caring for their child(ren), child care typically refers to the care provided by caregivers that are not the child's parents. Child care is a broad topic that covers a wide spectrum of professionals, institutions, contexts, activities, and social and cultural conventions. Early child care is an important and often overlooked component of child development.
Care can be provided to children by a variety of individuals and groups. This caregiving role may also be taken on by the child's extended family. Another form of childcare is that of center-based child care. In lieu of familial caregiving, these responsibilities may be given to paid caretakers, orphanages or foster homes to provide care, housing, and schooling.
Professional caregivers work within the context of a center-based care (including crèches, daycare, preschools and schools) or a home-based care (nannies or family daycare). The majority of child care institutions available require child care providers to have extensive training in first aid and be CPR certified. In addition, background checks, drug testing at all centers, and reference verifications are normally a requirement. Child care can consist of advanced learning environments that include early childhood education or elementary education. The objective of the program of daily activities at a child care facility should be to foster age appropriate learning and social development. In many cases the appropriate child care provider is a teacher or person with educational background in child development, which requires a more focused training aside from the common core skills typical of a child caregiver.
As well as these licensed options, parents may also choose to find their own caregiver or arrange childcare exchanges/swaps with another family.
Access to and quality of childcare have a variety of implications for children, parents and guardians, and families. Child care can have long-term impacts on educational attainment for children. Parents, particularly women and mothers, see increased labor force attachment when child care is more accessible and affordable. In particular, increased affordable child care opportunities have economic benefits for immigrant communities and communities of color.
