Of the many childcare options for infants and young children, Family Day Care has much to recommend it. Family Day Care (FDC) is essentially an arrangement whereby the child is cared for in the home of another family, usually not a relative. FDC is most often provided by women who are raising, or who have raised their own children, and who are experienced child care givers. The Family Day Care Arrangement has several potential advantages in comparison to the Day Care Center:

1. In the FDC arrangement, particularly in those settings where only a few children are cared for, your infant or toddler will receive the appropriate one-on-one care when this is needed.

2. In many communities you can find a FDC setting close to your home. Having a place where it is easy to drop off, and pick up your child, is a plus for busy parents.

3. Family Day Care providers are likely to be more flexible in the hours of drop off and pick up. This is particularly important if your job requires long, or unusual, hours.

4. Another, not insignificant advantage is that your child will have a consistent caregiver during the early years. This may not be as true for Day Centers, where staff turnover is often fairly rapid.

5. If the FDC arrangement works out well for you, you may even put more than one of your children in this setting. Family Care providers, who are associated with the family long term, almost become members of the family.

6. Last, but not least, the cost of Family Day Care is likely to be the same, or even less, than the fees at a Day Care Center.

In choosing a Family Day Care Center, you can contact one of the many on-line services that list the providers in your area. Alternatively you can ask friends and neighbors with young children whom they use, or how they found the person. Once you have located a few providers, you should make sure that each has been licensed by the local, state or provincial government. Licensing ensures that the setting meets minimum standards with regard to safety, cleanliness, toileting facilities and number of children cared for. Ideally a single caregiver should have no more than two or three infants and toddlers, six is the maximum. In addition you need to request references from at least three other families that have used the provider. You also need to sit down together in advance to discuss fees, hours, routines and emergencies, and leave as little to chance as possible.

Most important when you visit the Center let your parental radar guide you with respect both to the provider and the setting. Do you really feel confident and at ease leaving your child with this person in this setting? If not continue your search. It is really worth the time and trouble finding a provider with whom you can leave your children with a feeling of security and peace of mind.