If you need childcare for your family, you can typically choose between an actual childcare centre, or homecare, meaning someone who cares for children in their own home. Both choices may have their pros and cons, and someone working from their home may offer your child a safe and enjoyable visit, but note some reasons why you might choose a childcare centre versus a homecare option.

Illnesses

If someone on staff at a childcare facility is ill, there are typically enough staff members available to ensure that the centre doesn't need to actually close down. However, what would happen if the one person caring for children from a home were to get ill? Even if they had an assistant who could watch the children, and wouldn't need to close the facility for the day, would they still be staying in the home while they were sick?

Consider, too, if that person were sick for an extended period of time; you might need to find other childcare for a full week or more, or would be exposing your child to airborne germs if that person were to stay in the home while someone else tended to your child. A childcare centre may then be more convenient and even safer for your child in cases of illnesses.

Socializing

A homecare facility may take care of more than just one child, so that your child does have someone to play with during the day. However, a childcare centre usually has a larger number of children in their care; this can allow your child more choices of playmates, and can also allow your child to become more accustomed to behaving in a group setting, which they'll need when they enrol in school. A childcare centre may be able to teach your child about waiting in lines, taking turns, and respecting other children's time to speak, and so on. This can help your child to better adjust to larger groups they'll be part of when they do enter school.

Safe space

A private home may be relatively safe, but a childcare centre may need to meet more stringent local codes for fire safety, evacuation, and the like. Kitchen areas may be completely separated from play areas, with a strong fire safety door at the entryway, and the building may also have overhead sprinklers. The codes for building maintenance may also be more strict for a childcare centre than a private home, so your child may be even safer at such a facility than in homecare.

Share