Home Care vs Center

[Sugar Magnolia]

did anyone say no staff turnover? as long as they are there, you'll be caring for them!

Center here. In six and a half years, replaced one assistant. That's it. Now have younger siblings of my first wave of students. Parents delighted by the low turn over. Also appreciate we are owners AND operators, not an absentee kid mill with low paid and poorly trained staff.

[Sugar Magnolia]

I think there are plenty of fantastic centers out there and there are plenty of home daycares too but the MOST important aspect of going with either choice is what is right for the child.

If I had a parent ask me the difference, I would not answer, but would encourage the parent to do the research for themself. Visit several centers and home child cares, observe, ask questions, do your homework because ONLY the parents knows what their child/family needs.

I have seen kids do horrible in both quality family care and in a quality center and NONE of the behavior had anything to do with the level of care in either place but had more to do with the child themselves. Some children thrive in busy environments with lots of stimulation to keep them busy and occupied. Other kids do better in quiet family style care environments that offer a slower pace and fewer choices for playmates.

My DD thrived in a center! She is such a social butterfly that one caregiver and a small mixed age group of kids would have bored her to death. My DS however was bordering on needing a nanny but did ok in family care where it wasn't so busy. Each of my children were uniquely individual and had totally different needs and none of those needs had anything to do with whether the family child care or center was better than the other.

I think family child care providers, centers, and parents need to stop comparing the benefits and negatives of one to another (as they all have their own pros and cons) but do the work and find what care setting/environment is best for THEIR child.

Thank you Blackcat. Nice to see someone is not making sweeping generalizations.

[Sugar Magnolia]

Sorry everyone, just tired out defending centers. I don't like the big corporate box centers either. I like kids, and parents, and doing the right thing. Don't we all? Seriously? Just because my license says "licenced facility" does not automatically make my place any better or worse than yours. Honestly, I just feel tired of reading center bashing posts. The one last week was even titled "see what happens at centers? Even with cameras rolling?" followed by a link to some horrible abuse story. It would never cross my mind to post a link to the terrible house fire in texas and label it "see what happens in home daycare? With no licensing oversight?" That would be a gross generalization. Someone, maybe blackcat, did say "some centers" so i left it alone. Sorry again, done with vent.

[Blackcat31]

Sorry everyone, just tired out defending centers. I don't like the big corporate box centers either. I like kids, and parents, and doing the right thing. Don't we all? Seriously? Just because my license says "licenced facility" does not automatically make my place any better or worse than yours. Honestly, I just feel tired of reading center bashing posts. The one last week was even titled "see what happens at centers? Even with cameras rolling?" followed by a link to some horrible abuse story. It would never cross my mind to post a link to the terrible house fire in texas and label it "see what happens in home daycare? With no licensing oversight?" That would be a gross generalization. Someone, maybe blackcat, did say "some centers" so i left it alone. Sorry again, done with vent.

Sugar~ You are absolutely right in getting upset because I too, get tired of people who generalize anything for that matter.

I have 2 kids of my own and I know first hand that no kid is just like another and each had their own unique set of needs and likes etc and like I said in my previous post, each required and thrived in a completely different environment. One in a center and the other in a home setting.

I think that ultimately parents need to do their homework and find which setting best suits their child's needs. I have seen some horrible centers, but have seen some seriously fantastic ones too!!! The same can be said about family child care providers and nanny's and babysitters and teachers and au pairs and cars and sofas and colors and seasons and etc and etc.......

As a person who works in the field of Early Childhood, I think being impartial and open to different situations, cultures, environments, settings and things like that should be second nature to us. I don't think we should automatically say "centers" or "home providers" as a genralization EVER.

Mostly because we all work with children and children, even from the same set of parents, are so uniquely different that generalization of anything shouldn't even be in our vocabularies.

So don't stop speaking up when this kind of topic/thread pops up. People (parents and providers in all capacities) need to be reminded (sometimes repeatedly) until we automatically stop comparing. The only comparison that should ever be made is whether this or that environment is right for this specific child. period.

I am not really a family child care provider as I don't operate within my family home and the set of issues and perks that come with that yet I am not a center as I am not licensed as one and don't have employees so I can easily fall to either side I guess but instead choose to happily be called both....either way I provide great care to the children in my program, whether I am called a center or a home child care.

Heck, call me a babysitter, daycare lady, child care specialist, teacher, hey you, or anything you want. I really don't mind. WHAT the children get out of being in my specific setting is all that really matters.

[Sugar Magnolia]

Very well said Blackcat, better than I could say it because I let my emotions take over. Thank you for your kind words and support. As a "center person" I truly feel unwelcomed here sometimes.

[DaisyMamma]

I don't see how centers can offer loving home environments when they aren't a home. And everyone is entitled to an opinion.

[Sugar Magnolia]

I don't see how centers can offer loving home environments when they aren't a home. And everyone is entitled to an opinion.

Really? Actually, it IS in a home, a very nice historic home, furnished completely with child sized furniture, lots of windows, very charming and comfortable. It is also a multi age approach school, with NO children relegated to a single room. Why on earth would you say a center can't offer a loving environment? Pretty harsh and uninformed thing to say to a center operator you're never met, a center you're never seen, and a program you don't understand. Of course you are entitled to your opinion, but your assumptions and generalizations about centers is simply unfair. And for what its worth, I don't see how a child being cared for in someones private home automatically garentees they are in a loving environment.

[Country Kids]

I take a total different look on home versus center but its because of the state I live in. We have 3 different type of childcares.

You must be licensed as a registered family child care home if:

•You provide child care to more than three (3) children, up to a total of ten (10) children at any one time, unless they are all from the same family;

•You provide child care on other than an occasional basis; or

•You receive payment from an agency that requires you to be registered.

Also must be done in a home

Many other steps to obtain this


Certified family child care homes:

•Provide child care for up to 12 children, may be certified for up to 16 with prior approval from the Division

•Are located in a building constructed as a single-family dwelling.

•Must comply with the Oregon Administrative Rules that apply to this type of Child Care.

Many other steps to obtain this



Certified Child Care Centers:
•Typically provide care for more than twelve children;

•Typically provide care in a building that is constructed as other than a single-family dwelling.

Many other steps to obtain this



So in my eyes and please don't take offence to this but I see BlackCat and Sugar more like a Certified family childcare home at least in my state. Not a registered family home but not a center. In the middle of the road.

It wouldn't be small but wouldn't be to big. I think of centers where there are tons of kids from birth to 5th grade. More like a school almost!

So I just wanted Sugar and Blackcat to know how I picture there childcares.

[crazydaycarelady]

I haven't had time to read all of the respinses but I have this in my parents handbook:


Benefits of Home Child care
What are the benefits of choosing in-home care? A family childcare provider continues the parent's role of caregiver, nurturer, comforter, and first teacher. The provider is not just a babysitter. She plans meals, schedules, and safety. She organizes the children's activities. She will appreciate your family values and child rearing practices. She is a professional and you can rely on her judgment. Working together as a team, you will provide the best for your child. The provider is not a substitute for you. You are the most important person in your child's life and the provider respects that.

Here are just a few of the advantages of home care:
1) Child Care Homes are required to have a lower child/adult ratio than centers so your child receives more individual attention.
2) There is more flexibility than in a center.
3) There is less illness because there are fewer people in and out, which means fewer germs are spread to your child.
4) Your child is cared for and taught by a trained childcare professional that is usually a mother as well.
5) Children have the opportunity to play and learn with other children in a much smaller group than in a center.
6) Many children cannot handle the noise level and increased stimulation of a daycare center and do better in a smaller setting.
7) Children are not grouped by age and have the opportunity to spend time with other children of all ages.
8) Your child has the same caregiver all day, everyday. That means one person who knows exactly what your child has done, eaten, etc. throughout the day.
9) Centers tend to have high employee turnover rates.
10) It is possible for your child to remain with the same provider from infancy up to school age.

[DuckGirlJoey]

Didn't know technology, funding, teachers with degrees and more toys was a bad thing.

I never said those were bad things. I think they are very good things--and also not what I have to offer, for better or worse, which is why I said I couldn't compete with centers who can offer such things. You are obviously very defensive about your center. If you read through this thread, you will plainly see that I have disagreed with some generalizations that were made about centers as I had previously worked in a very good one but decided to try my hand at my own.

Please don't put words in my mouth simply because you have some sort of complex. Not appreciated.

I am well aware that sometimes, it seems comparisons simply cannot be made. To us, that makes sense. We DO this. To parents, well, it's a different story. They want to know what they are getting and they ARE comparing. I'd like to be prepared with an answer that will satisfy them one way or another.

Thanks for your help everyone. Very enlightening.

[Sugar Magnolia]

Country Kids! No offense taken at all, in fact, I consider your words a compliment. In Florida, how the building is constructed makes no difference to how you are licensed. We also have 2 designations of home child care, regular and large, and them there is licensed facility. If the building in question is NOT used as the primary living quarters of the provider, you are a licensed facility. We don't live there, so even though it is totally a residential structure, we dont live there, so we are licensed and inspected as a facility.

The entire and complete reason my center has been a successful center is because we are small, owner operated, family-like atmosphere, home-like environment (best of the home daycare concept) AND the structure, curriculum, staffing, and stricter regulatory oversight (big draws for centers). Country Kids analysis was right on.

So yeah, I only take offense when sweeping generalizations lump me and other quality centers on with the ones we hear the horror stories about. Same way any quality home child care provider would be offended being labeled as a babysitter, sitting on the sofa watching soaps and eating bon bons. I guess I just get frustrated because it seems like the shoe is always on the other foot here with "centers" always being the bad guy. I'm not a "bad guy" because I simply have a home I go home to at night and another home I use to provide a loving home-like care by day.

[DaisyMamma]

Really? Actually, it IS in a home, a very nice historic home, furnished completely with child sized furniture, lots of windows, very charming and comfortable. It is also a multi age approach school, with NO children relegated to a single room. Why on earth would you say a center can't offer a loving environment? Pretty harsh and uninformed thing to say to a center operator you're never met, a center you're never seen, and a program you don't understand. Of course you are entitled to your opinion, but your assumptions and generalizations about centers is simply unfair. And for what its worth, I don't see how a child being cared for in someones private home automatically garentees they are in a loving environment.

No way! That's wonderful! You cannot do that here. Centers are like schools. If a daycare is in any type of home, whether you live there or not, then its a family daycare and there can only be 12 kids max.

I was saying a center can't offer a home-like environment. Where I am centers are all hard tiled floors with hard chairs/furniture. It's not a comfortable environment.

And it is so true that not all homes are loving environments. You never know what is going on behind closed doors, especially if a provider works alone