As a parent, it can be daunting to leave your child under someone else’s care. Even if you had the time and resources to provide home care for them, it wouldn’t probably be as good an option as childcare.
They provide your child with a peaceful environment conducive to mental and physical growth. Qualified instructors, a well-structured curriculum, and best safety practices offer your child a quality learning experience.
But before you put them into one, you should know the difference between daycare and childcare centres. The importance of the question stems from the confusion in many people’s minds regarding it.
To some people, daycares are distinctly different from childcare services, with the former restricted in terms of facilities, amenities and objectives.
What are some of those differences and other things about this topic that you will find interesting? Read on to find out.
What does daycare mean to people?
To many people, it is a place that looks after people who cannot look after themselves independently. When applied in the context of children, it’s a facility that takes care of them while their parents are out at work or otherwise busy.
It also refers to a service that keeps the child during the day for a fixed number of hours. They have a set schedule and usually adhere to it pretty strictly. These centres have a limited scope for enjoyment, activities, and fun.
In what ways is childcare different?
It differs entirely from a daycare, including its priorities, objectives, timings, and facilities. It is more than just a place where parents leave their children before heading off to work. Here are some ways in which they are different.
Work timings
While childcare providers take care of children primarily during the day, they also provide after-care facilities if the parents require it. However, they might charge extra money for the additional time and service.
Primary objective
But the main difference lies in the objective, as the goal of a childcare provider is to offer the child exciting learning opportunities. They have highly qualified educators who look after the children and ensure they receive the best education.
With this objective in mind, childcare usually has a well-defined curriculum that caters to the requirements of every child, depending on the stage they are in. Good ones generally divide the curriculum into nursery, toddlers, pre-kindy, and kindergarten.
Facilities
As mentioned above, daycares generally have limited facilities because they work with limited goals. On the other hand, a child provider has indoor and outdoor playing spaces, classrooms, and other facilities that help in early education learning.
A childcare facility must also maintain the standards established by the National Quality Framework through its National Quality Standard (NQS). The NQS identifies seven quality areas essential for children’s development.
Highly qualified educators
Although daycares have qualified personnel to take care of children, child centres ought to have qualified educators who play a vital role in the children’s emotional, cognitive and physical development.
For instance, educators should have a diploma-level qualification to work in preschool and kindergarten services. Their duties usually include:
- Assisting the child’s development.
- Supporting their wellbeing.
- Providing leadership.
- Helping them develop social and communication skills.
The above information will help you know the difference between daycare and childcare centres. Although both are useful in their ways, a child care facility provides your child with the right environment, facilities, and activities to help them get started on an educational journey.
