Child Care and Education in Group Settings

2. 23 Child Care and Education in Group Settings

3. Key Terms child care programs in-home child care au pairs nannies family child care center-based child care for-profit programs not-for-profit programs work-related child care programs school-age child care (SACC) programs child care resource and referral (CCR&R) agencies child development laboratories Head Start continued

4. Key Terms Montessori schools kindergartens private programs fingerplays regulations public programs adult-child ratio developmentally appropriate practices (DAPs) developmentally inappropriate practices (DIPs) field trips culture shock bias hidden added costs hidden cost credits

5. Objective Trace the history of the major types of group programs for young children.

6. Types of Group Programs Child care programs Child development laboratories Head Start Preschool (pre-kindergarten) programs Montessori schools Kindergartens Primary schools

7. Child Care Programs • Child care programs are programs that operate to care for children for extended hours • often operate between 9–12 hours a day • provide basic care for children when parents are not available • Many programs are providing education as well as care services

8. Historical Overview • European Infant Schools • late 1700s to early 1800s • served poor children until age five or six when they entered the workforce • U.S. programs for poor families • middle of nineteenth century, urban areas • included education for parents continued

9. Historical Overview Federal funds aided programs during Great Depression of 1929 WWII (1941–1945 for U.S.) child care programs declined after WWII Women entered the workforce 1960s care programs increased, poor quality

10. Types of Child Care Programs In-home child care Family child care Center-based child care School-age child care

11. In-Home Child Care • In-home child caretakes place in the child’s own home • May be provided by parents, relatives, or nonrelatives • Among dual-career parents, • about 27% of children under age five are cared for by a parent • a little more than one-fourth of children are cared for by a relative continued

12. In-Home Child Care • Small percentage of children receive in-home care from nonrelatives • housekeepers often take care of the children and clean the house • au pairsprovide care for children as part of a cultural exchange program • nanniesmay live in the home or come to the home daily • generally have specific training in child care

13. Family Child Care • Family child care is provided by a person for a small number of children in his or her own home • May be run like a child care center • About 13% of children are in family child care • May offer more flexible hours • May not be regulated

14. Center-Based Child Care Center-based child careis a large group program in which child care is provided in a center (not a home) continued

15. Center-Based Child Care • About 29% of children under age five with working parents are in center-based child care • Centers differ in the number of children they serve • State licensing laws set the standards for all aspects of center-based child care programs continued

16. Center-Based Child Care • For-profit programsare set up to make money • Not-for-profit programsmake only enough profit to pay expenses • Work-related child care programsare sponsored by businesses for their employees’ children

17. School-Age Child Care (SACC) Programs • School-age child care (SACC) programsprovide care for 5- to 14-year-olds when school is out • Includes before and after school, holidays, vacations, and during the summer • Majority affiliated with schools or programs serving youth continued

18. School-Age Child Care (SACC) Programs • Provide care, recreation, diversion (crafts, drama, field trips), education

19. Trends in Child Care Programs • More infant and toddler care • Growth in SACC programs • Growth in work-related child care programs • Growth in child care resource and referral (CCR&R) agencies, which promote local programs and help parents find child care

20. Child Development Laboratories • Child development laboratories provide education and physical care for children under age five • formerly called nursery schools • Serve as research sites for child development experts • part of research and teaching universities • Directed by child development experts

21. Head Start • Head Start is a federally sponsored program launched to meet the needs of children from low-income families • Includes an educational component for parents • Early Head Start serves children from birth through 35 months

22. Preschool Programs Preschool programs usually refer to state-funded programs for three- and four-year-olds from families of low-income also called pre-kindergartens continued

23. Preschool Programs • Some states offer universal preschools for all income levels • Majority of children in preschools are in public school settings, but some attend Head Start

24. Montessori Schools • Montessori schoolsencourage children to learn independently through the use of highly specialized materials rather than direct input from teachers • self-correcting materials aid children’s independent work continued

25. Montessori Schools • Sensory learnings are a major focus • Each child is in charge of his or her own learning

26. Kindergartens • Kindergartensare educational programs for four- and five-year-olds • In the U.S., they are part of each state’s public education system • Serves as an entrance to school education and gives children the chance to play and develop through various activities continued

27. Kindergartens • Rooted in Friedrich Froebel’s German private programs(programs owned by individuals, churches, others) • enrolled children from ages three to seven years • provided teaching suggestions for mothers with younger children • taught children without the rote academic learning used for older children continued

28. Kindergartens • planned many of the activities in use today • examples: building blocks, beads, art materials, sand, fingerplays (poems/rhymes acted out with the hands)

29. Primary School Programs Kindergarten to age nine U.S. mandates attendance Each state sets learning standards

30. What Do You Think? Why do you think it is helpful to study the history of child care programs?

31. Objective Describe what to look for when choosing a quality program.

32. Choosing a Group Program • Regulations • Housing and equipment • Staff • Parent communication and participation • Program activities • Cultural diversity continued

33. Choosing a Group Program Care for children with special needs Other considerations Quality of group programs

34. Regulations • Regulations are standards that govern a group program • some regulations apply to all programs, some only to public programs (those funded by government) • Accredited programs have met even higher standards of quality through a professional organization

35. Housing and Equipment • Varies with the program goals • Should meet the needs of the children in the program • Should be safe and meet health standards • Should be sanitary • Should provide adequate space for comfort and activities

36. Staff Adult-child ratiois the number of adults per number of children Numbers vary from state to state Numbers for group size and children per adult should be reduced if children with special needs are included continued

37. Staff

38. Parent Communication and Participation • Teachers and caregivers should • convey the importance of parents • know about each family they serve • find ways to work with parents as a team • know the ways in which parents prefer to communicate with and participate in their children’s group program

39. Program Activities • Developmentally appropriate practices (DAPs) uses knowledge of • child development • each child’s strengths, needs, interests, and culture • Opposite of DAPs are developmentally inappropriate practices (DIPs) continued

40. Program Activities continued

41. Program Activities • Many programs invite adults to share special skills • may be parents of children in program • Field tripstake children to places off the program’s property • fun way to learn about the community

42. Cultural Diversity in Group Programs • Affirm each child’s identity • Respect diversity by making the program culturally rich • cultural shockmay occur if children have an uncomfortable response to unfamiliar cultures • Help children learn that bias (unfair treatment) hurts

43. Child Care and Education for Children with Special Needs • Inclusion is practiced • children with special needs are placed in classrooms with other children, while providing help for children who need it • diversity of all types is seen as positive • Environment must be arranged • Some activities must be adapted for children with special needs

44. Other Considerations Special services may be needed Families often spend at least 10% of their total gross income on child care continued

45. Other Considerations • Hidden added costsare costs that add to the direct costs of child care • transportation, supplies, disposable diapers, services or items donated to a child care program • Hidden cost creditsare credits that lower direct costs of child care • money from a second income, child-care tax credits

46. Quality of Group Programs Signs of low-quality programs parents cannot visit the program without asking in advance staff members are not trained to work with young children program does not take special interest in children’s needs adults push children to perform above their abilities, causing them stress

47. Objective Explain the effects of group care and education on children’s development.

48. Effects of Group Care on Children • Effects on health • centers that enroll more than 50 children seem to have more illnesses • Effects on mental development • little effect on the mental development of children from middle-class homes • programs targeting children from low-income homes need follow-up continued

49. Effects of Group Care on Children • Effects on social development • bonds between children and families are not affected • contact with peers tends to increase aggression in children • teachers’ response to aggression is key • parents can reduce possible aggression-promoting influences by limiting exposure to media portrayals of aggression

50. Objective Describe ways to help children adjust to group settings.