Choosing a childcare option can be overwhelming. There is a plethora of daycare and home childcare options in the Wyomissing area. But what is the difference between daycare and in-home childcare?
What Is Daycare?
Daycares are usually larger entities, with classrooms divided by age. For instance, many daycares have classrooms divided into infant (0-12 months), toddler (12-24 months), two’s, three’s, pre-K, kindergarten, and school-aged children.
Depending on enrollment, classes may be larger or smaller, and school-aged classrooms may have various cutoffs.
By law and for safety, classrooms are limited to a specified ratio of children to teachers. Younger children (like infants and toddlers) need more assistance than older children; therefore, fewer children are in younger classrooms.
In Pennsylvania, daycares have the following child-to-teacher ratios:
- 6 weeks-12 months (4:1)
- Toddlers (5:1)
- 2 – 3 years (6:1)
- 3 – 5 years (10:1)
- 5 – 7 years (12:1)
- 7 years and older (15:1)
Teachers can provide the best childcare with these ratios. However, you can still have too many children per classroom, even when there is an adequate child-to-teacher ratio. For instance, a classroom may be large enough to contain 20 infants and four teachers, but it’s easy to see how this is overwhelming for children and teachers.
That’s why, in addition to child-to-teacher ratios, the state of Pennsylvania caps the maximum classroom size for each age group:
- Infants: 8
- Toddlers: 10
- Pre-K (3 and 4 year-olds): 12
- Pre-K (4 and 5 year-olds): 20
- School age (5+ years old): 24
What Is In-Home Childcare?
Not to be confused with hiring a private nanny to stay at your house, in-home childcare is when a licensed childcare provider watches other children in their own home.
Some providers will be caring for related children, such as biological children, grandchildren, nieces or nephews, or step-children, at the same time as other children. This is a common way for stay-at-home parents to bring in extra income. However, the provider does not have to have their own children and may run the small business out of their home.
Home childcare can be divided into two categories: small-family childcare homes and large-family childcare homes.
Small-Family Childcare Homes
In small-family childcare homes, the childcare provider can have up to four related children and 4-6 unrelated children in the home. This means a maximum of ten children can be in the home at a time. Certain districts in Pennsylvania may have different regulations for small-family childcare homes.
Large-Family Childcare Homes
While one individual may operate a small-family childcare home independently, a large-family childcare home may have more than one staff member.
Large-family childcare homes can have 7-12 children at one time. The child-to-teacher ratios for this childcare option are:
- 4:1 for ages one year or less
- 5:1 for 1-2 years old
- 6:1 for ages 2-3
- 10:1 for ages 3 and up
While there’s a lot to consider when choosing childcare, we believe Learning Ladder Academy is a top option for Wyomissing childcare. We strive to care for each child individually and help them reach their maximum potential. Contact us today for more information!