Your Child and Family

Choosing appropriate child care for your infant or young child can seem as overwhelming as helping your teenager select a college or university. As a parent, it is your responsibility to ensure that your child is safe and happy in a child care environment that is fun, educational, and nurturing.

About 70% of parents place their young children in some type of daily care. Whether you choose in-home or center-based care, a preschool, or someone else's home for your child's daily care setting, there are specific guidelines you should follow to be sure that your child is receiving quality, professional care suited to his developmental needs.

Most important in determining the type of care your child needs is to know your own child - his temperament, likes and dislikes, health, interests, and behaviour. For an infant under 1 year of age, you need to give careful attention to your child's need to be nurtured and held, any special health needs, and the type of person you want to care for your child during the first year of his life. For an older child, his developing play and learning styles, interaction with other children, intellectual curiosity, and need for individualised attention should be considered.

The family's own values and emotional needs should also help to determine the kind of care they choose for their child. Choosing child care depends on the family's comfort level and their type of child. Some parents are overly anxious about leaving their very young child with one person, while others prefer individual care. But by age 3 or 4, it's good for the child to have at least some exposure to other kids and participate in a structured programme like preschool or daycare.