Why are centers preferred when ...?

[Unregistered]

There have been posts about centers not usually terminating children, when lots of home providers say they would term.
Does it seem that centers do not refer families for help with issues, when home providers do? Or terminate children if families will not seek help? And if so, why are centers preferred by the majority of families?

[nannyde]

Centers offer very long hours for a flat rate. They do not close except for major holidays. They allow parents to hang out in the room as much as they like. They do not term until a harmed child's parent threatens to term. The person who decides whether or not to term is not the one caring for the kid. The staff turnover is huge. Each slot turns over an average of four times a year. Multiple adults care for each kid every day and most have other adults in the room. The staff in a center are not charged with neglect if a child harms another child unless it is egregious and easily proven that the staff assistant intentionally set out to allow it. A home provider is charged and accountable if she doesn't prevent it... even with biting.
When multiple people are responsible for a group each members individual accountability diminishes. A home provider is soley responsible for everything.

Parents like centers mostly because they believe they are a school and they believe their child's chances of survival from injury or death is lessened because safety in numbers. This is statistically correct as death and serious bodily harm that is intentional is very rare in.centers. It is rare in home care but much more rare in centers.

[Thriftylady]

I agree with Nan, but I also think that parents seem to think that centers somehow follow rules better, or that there are "eyes" on all the employees preventing abuse and such. In my knowledge, that prevents nothing because they max out each staff member. I also think that parents think if they are paying more, they get more for their money. I don't agree with that either. I think smaller numbers are always better. Parents don't realize it, but home providers really come to know and love the children, however turnover at centers is so high I can't see how that happens.

[TwinKristi]

I think they get a sense of "workforce" when they're at an establishment vs a home? Like this is their job and they take it seriously unlike us "babysitters" who stay home and play all day. They probably feel it's more school like and some people just think more people equals more care. But like others pointed out, my experience is they just care about making money and don't term a child unless they have to and can easily replace them.

[Leigh]

I think a lot of parents see centers as the professionals, and us as lazy moms who don't want a "real job" and want to sit home and watch TV all day. They assume that since the centers have a storefront on a busy highway, they must be legit. I have had many parents surprised when they call me and find out that I am inspected, have rules that I must follow, serve healthy meals, and actually have parenting experience and child development knowledge. They really do see us as no different than the 14-year old down the street who watches the kids while they go out for dinner...they think we have the same qualifications and that we're happy to accept whatever they're willing to pay us, since we just do this for "spending money", not to make a living or anything.

[Silly Songs]

Centers are open more hours than home providers . Also we have children in rooms based on age. Some people prefer that their child is in a room with 7 other 2 year olds, as opposed to 7 other children of various ages. Also siblings are usually not together, which helps some families, so the kids aren't arguing all day at daycare . There is always someone watching the workers at daycare. We are also very strict with rules from the state and licensing . Centers also go out of their way to adapt to special diets , most home daycare a don't have the staff or means to do that. I would guess that it depends on what you value, small intimate care or a large group with lots of classes . There is enough of both to go around '

[Unregistered]

As for terming, centers have the staffing to tolerate more disruptive and problem children. Home providers generally just can't tolerate as much, because one problem child can disrupt the whole group which isn't fair to the other kids and too much work/stress for the home provider. The typical home provider wouldn't have any help dealing with a problem child whereas in a center no one staff member would have to deal with the child full time.

Centers do encourage assessments of children who have various issues and they have those resources readily available. Assessors come to the center for all sorts of issues, whether they be social, physical, intellectual, behavioral, etc.

I am a firm supporter of both centers and home care. I own a decent sized center in my city but I regularly refer friends and potential customers to home providers when it seems like it would be a better fit (or when it is better for them financially). In my experience, the larger and franchise type centers are so much nicer and more reliable in my area, I would send my children there in a heartbeat. Some of the smaller locally owned centers have to be too tight with money and cut back too much, at the children's loss. However, in my area you have to be very careful with home providers as well because many many many of them are just wanting some money while they stay at home and don't see it as a career like those of you on here.

[Unregistered]

As a parent I use centers for a variety of reasons. Staffed year round except for the major holidays. More flexibily time wise when it comes drop offs and pick ups, I find in my area the physical facilities are nicer and larger. A wider variety of activities offered in the centers..like sports classes, musical lessons, field trips. My personal feeling is that centers are safer as there are multiple staff rather than just being in a home center with one or two people all the time. I also prefer centers that have web access cameras so I can see what my child is doing during the day.

[Play Care]

In my area they don't really seem to, though I've noticed it seems more for financial reasons. Centers are usually much more expensive and salaries here are somewhat stagnant.

That said, I believe that not every care situation is right for every child. Some kids do better in a day home, others do better with a nanny, and others thrive in centers. IMO, the biggest disservice we do to kids is keeping them in care (regardless of the modality) even though we realize it's not the best place for them.

[daycarediva]

Maybe I am unfairly biased. There have been quite a few scandals recently in local well known/reputable centers. Sexual abuse, physical abuse and ratio issues severe enough that the state just shut one down (and they NEVER do that)....

That being said.... most of the clients I get chose me over a center (for preschool) based on the understanding of the child/teacher relationship and how important that is for early education vs the convenience of a center with multiple staff members. What I mean is, they are hiring/interviewing and choosing ME vs a building.

I am a stone's throw from my BA in ECE and then on to club Med! My home has dedicated space and is run like a classroom, and I do assessments and work with parents to raise some pretty awesome people, so it's worth it to my clients. I don't have cameras because the state would then have access to them 24/7 and it's my home....so ya. They also KNOW I would never harm their child and I do end up becoming ridiculously attached to 99% of them. Those I don't mesh with, I have the ability to term/replace. I believe in that relationship. It's IMPORTANT!

I also know a few center workers personally. Barely a HS diploma, and I wouldn't leave a dog in their care. One of them had her own children removed by DCFS. We walk by a center nearly every day on our walks and the staff is lined up against the fence while the kids play. Doesn't matter WHAT the kids are doing, (screaming/hurt, unsafe behavior, etc) the staff is socializing and ignoring those kids.

Yup, some bias there. I realize not all centers and center staff are that way

[Shell]

Maybe I am unfairly biased. There have been quite a few scandals recently in local well known/reputable centers. Sexual abuse, physical abuse and ratio issues severe enough that the state just shut one down (and they NEVER do that)....

That being said.... most of the clients I get chose me over a center (for preschool) based on the understanding of the child/teacher relationship and how important that is for early education vs the convenience of a center with multiple staff members. What I mean is, they are hiring/interviewing and choosing ME vs a building.

I am a stone's throw from my BA in ECE and then on to club Med! My home has dedicated space and is run like a classroom, and I do assessments and work with parents to raise some pretty awesome people, so it's worth it to my clients. I don't have cameras because the state would then have access to them 24/7 and it's my home....so ya. They also KNOW I would never harm their child and I do end up becoming ridiculously attached to 99% of them. Those I don't mesh with, I have the ability to term/replace. I believe in that relationship. It's IMPORTANT!

I also know a few center workers personally. Barely a HS diploma, and I wouldn't leave a dog in their care. One of them had her own children removed by DCFS. We walk by a center nearly every day on our walks and the staff is lined up against the fence while the kids play. Doesn't matter WHAT the kids are doing, (screaming/hurt, unsafe behavior, etc) the staff is socializing and ignoring those kids.

Yup, some bias there. I realize not all centers and center staff are that way

I am quite biased myself, stemming from over 12 years of experience working at various "high end" centers. I can say with certainty that there is no way I would send a young child to one of these places- a preschooler, maybe, but the older the better. It seems that the parents pay the most for infant/toddler slots, yet they are "taught" by the least educated and lowest paid employees- doesn't add up. I was teaching kindergarten when I became pregnant with ds- there was no way in h*ll I was going to put my child in a room with some of the women that were working in the infant rooms. I agree that the larger centers appeal to the parents, but most have far too many children in a room for their own good. I used to teach Pre-k in a class of 20 with 2 teachers (legal). Can you imagine the chaos?! Their solution...set up small groups and divide time. So what happens? One child is placed In a quality small group with most likely a caring, dedicated, and likely an experienced educator. Another child is placed in a group with anyone they could pull off the street (not literally), a person that really doesn't care much about the job and will quit in a week- and guess what?! Both parents are paying the same amount.

[DaveA]

I've worked in both and could argue pros and cons for both sides. It really boils down to personal preference. Personally, when I worked in centers my kids were in a home daycare run by a family friend. I can raise "6 of one/ half dozen of the other" arguments for several pages if I wanted to. As for staffing I can bring anecdotes for good/ bad examples of both: I've worked at a center that hired a stripper for an aide, and I've taught CPR to a home daycare provider who considered changing from cartoon network to nick Jr a different activity.

As for the term issue, I do have more flexibility than a center. Running a home daycare by nature has a healthy bit of ego built in: This is MY program, MY house, My rules, and DCPs are here to use MY service. If a parent doesn't like that- they can go bye bye. I don't have an owner/director looking at the bottom line. It is my decision when a family isn't worth the $.

[cheerfuldom]

i think A LOT of parents put a lot of stock in the licensing measures (even though licensed home daycares follow the same regulations....) and the idea that their child is safer in a larger group of staff. What they usually fail to investigate is what the licensing does and does not guarantee them. It is very minimal in my state.....a background check, a TB test, very minimal classes (like 6 or 10 hours a year if that) and nothing more required by most centers other than a HS diploma. They can go to licensed and un- licensed home care and find way more qualified providers assuming they do their homework and look for someone that is established with a good reputation. I personally would not send my kids to about 80% of the daycares and preschools in my town. Many of them have such high staff turnover that they have constant running help wanted ads in the newspapers.....literally every week. I know one person that works at a center that had her kids taken from her and I would never allow her to babysit my kids. I know several others that worked at centers that have horrific stories of staff shifting around to cover ratios when parents are present. A friend of mine regularly had over 20 young preschoolers alone in a class at a local daycare center. She opened her home daycare and has a half dozen or less kids and gets paid more now than she would have at the center. anyway, all that to say, is that many centers are highly over rated. Some parents think they get more just because they pay more but generally, they get a lot less.

[kendallina]

As far as why centers often don't term when a child has problem behaviors... We've seen a few teachers (in centers) on here say that they would love to term someone because of their behavior but their director won't term. The director either doesn't get it, needs the income coming in, wants to please parents or whatever. But, I do think that happens quite a lot. Obviously, in home daycare, our income is directly impacted by how many children we have. So, if we know we can go without that income for a while, we might term, but I've known providers who've had to stick it out longer than they wanted just because they couldn't afford to term.

[Solandia]

Another "pro" to centers, which most of us would consider a huge "con", is the child is less attached to the caregiver.

When I started daycare many moons ago....the big thing was continuity of care. One-on-one car with the same provider, healthy attachments, etc. It was HUGE. Almost Everyone who looked for child care, wanted to have their child with the same caregiver birth to kindergarten. And that was how it was for a long time....then I started getting parents who needed their child in formal preschool at 4yo, then it was 3yo....now most parents around here have their child in a formal preschool at 2yo to 2.5yo. Three half days. Public preschool is offered at three, so the child needs to be "unattached" from the babysitter to be emotionally ready (in many parents eyes). I disagree, but...

The pro to a center at this age, is that parent can tell themselves that they are providing continuity of care, because the center is the same from birth to five...even if the child changes teachers every year or more. The reality is that the bond a child forms with the center employees is way different (psychologically speaking) than a one-on-one caregiver for years. Which is a positive with a few of my mommy working friends(much younger than me), who chose centers precisely so their child would not bond too much with someone other than mommy. Jealousy.