Debbie Gross
Melissa Nieding
ENG 121-049
16 March 2011
Home Day Care verses Center Based Day Care
Choosing between center-based day care and home-based day care can be a very harrowing experience for a parent. The following evaluation may be helpful in choosing the best fit for your day care needs. Although many parents may choose center-based care, as a parent I prefer home day care in favor of its scheduling, environment, pricing, and amenities.
Home-based day care takes place in a day care provider's home, which results in a more personal homier feel. It offers your child the opportunity to be with a group of children of a variety of ages where older children can be a role model for the younger ones. There are fewer children
In most cases if your child is sick, you or your provider is on vacation you are required to pay. You can expect to pay for the time you have reserved, not actual attendance. Of the many day care providers I have, surveyed most stated being that this was their only source of income, they needed a sense of security in having a consistent weekly paycheck. Most day care homes include the cost of meals, activities, and equipment in their weekly fees while others may require an additional fee or ask parents to provide meals and equipment.
Center-based day care is higher than that of home-based day care average costs range from $960-$4000; the figure is based on part-time and full-time rates. Due to higher enrollment, center-based care is in a better position to offer part-time care. Home day care providers are at a disadvantage as they are limited to the number of children they can care for there by preferring to take full-time children to part-time children. Most center-based day care will charge an additional fee over and above their base rate for pre-school, or other encore programs they offer it can become quite costly. A possible reason center-based care is higher is that they have a higher overhead. Some examples of this may be huge building rental fees, salaries, equipment, and higher insurance costs.
Home-based day care is overseen by the state of Illinois through DCFS with any home providing care for more than three children including