Center-based child care is one type of environment to choose from when selecting care for your family. Let’s take a look at a few defining characteristics and advantages of a center setting.
A center setting in California must have a license. They can serve infants to school-aged children, are most often in a commercial building instead of an individual’s home, can be privately owned and operated or associated with a larger corporation, and enroll a larger number of children. Centers can also be part of a community center, religious organization, or non-profit and align with specific teaching methodology like Montessori.
Advantages of Center-Based Child Care
When choosing child care, parents and caregivers will review criteria like schedule, finances, location, long-term goals, and curriculum. Center-based care may address those needs in the following ways:
Child-care centers provide socialization
Although centers can enroll infant- to school-age children, they are required by licensing to separate kids by age. This means that all infants and preschoolers have their own classrooms with the appropriate teacher-to-child ratios. In these select classrooms, children can socialize with their peers through activities, lessons, and play.
Child-care centers have certified staff
Center-based staff are certified teachers or teacher assistants. Per licensing, they must each complete a minimum of twelve units of early childhood education, including infant/toddler-focused courses. Staff may also be required to pursue professional development opportunities and attend trainings that are relevant to the everyday care of children and the management of the classroom. QSSB and partners Child Care Resource Center and San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools offer monthly trainings that address common teaching concerns and goals. Consistently offered trainings include addressing challenging behavior, strengthening leadership, inclusive practices, and honoring cultural practices and mores.
Child-care centers have a similar environment to school
Studies show that access to high quality early learning environments has long-term benefits, including easing the transition to kindergarten. The consistent rhythms of a center classroom can help ready children for their next steps by giving them the foundational skills to succeed in school. Teachers structure the room, academic instruction, and activities to help develop students cognitive, social, and emotional skills.
Child-care centers provide an enhanced curriculum
Center-based facilities are subject to meeting licensing and state standards for certain things like safety and ratios, but may choose their own curriculum. Centers may select a philosophical curriculum like Waldorf, a faith-based curriculum, or curricula informed by the California Early Childhood Education (ECE) Competencies. The ECE Competencies focus on twelve areas to inform the professional development of staff, ensure effective lesson plans, and the incorporation of best teaching practices. ECE categories cover child development, special needs and inclusion, health and safety, and others. For parents, it is important to ask about the curriculum when visiting a potential child care setting to ensure it aligns with your own desired outcomes.
Advantages of other child care settings
Center-based care might be an excellent match for some families, while others may prefer a family child care home (FCC) or a family, friend, or neighbor (FFN) provider. The flexible hours, home environment, and mixed-aged care of an FCC or FFN might be more in line with the needs of a family with atypical work hours or those that prefer a smaller, personal environment. QSSB partners with all child care types to help them meet their professional goals and strengthen their skills.
Important things to consider when choosing a center based child-care center
Whether you’re searching for a center or a home environment, there are essential questions to ask and elements to consider when choosing what is best for your child. QSSB suggests at least five things to keep in mind when visiting a potential care setting.
- Is constant attention paid to every child’s safety and well-being?
- Are there small class or group sizes? Are children able to interact regularly with their teacher or caregiver and get the individualized attention they need?
- Are there regular opportunities for parents and caretakers to get involved in the classroom?
- Are there developmental and age-appropriate learning and experiences that are respectful of all cultures and backgrounds?
- Are teachers and caregivers committed to their own educational development?
The process of finding care may feel overwhelming. Resource and referral agencies are available to help parents and caretakers narrow down their search.
Get involved in Quality Start
QSSB is a San Bernardino County program that supports all child care settings and school readiness programs with coaching, training, higher education and certification pathways, and other supports and services. Get involved today!