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Choosing a Child Care Program for Your Child
Choosing a child care program for your child can be a
challenge. It is also one of the most important decisions parents will make. The
Early Care and Education Planning Group (a workgroup under the umbrella of the
Indiana County Children’s Advisory Commission) would like to share the
following information that can help parents make informed choices. Parents and
child care providers form an important partnership. Both partners play an
important role in the well- being and healthy development of children.
There are four different types of Child Day Care Facilities that parents can choose from:
wChild Day Care Center -- A child day care facility in which seven or more children who are not related to the operator receive child care. A child day care center must have a certificate of compliance (license) from the DPW in order to legally operate.
wGroup Day Care Home -- A child day care facility in which seven through 12 children of various ages or in which seven through 15 children from 4th grade through 15 years of age who are not related to the operator receive child care. A group day care home must have a certificate of compliance (license) from the DPW in order to legally operate.
wFamily Day Care Home -- A child day care facility located in a home in which four, five, or six children who are not related to the caregiver receive child care. A family day care home must have a certificate of registration from the DPW in order to legally operate.
wRelative/Neighbor Care -- A child day care setting in which three or fewer children unrelated to the caregiver receive child care. A relative/neighbor caregiver may also care for as many as six grandchildren. The ratios for grandchildren to unrelated children are:
ú3 unrelated children/3grandchildren
ú2 unrelated children/4 grandchildren
ú1 unrelated children/5 grandchildren
ú0 unrelated children/6 grandchildren
A Relative/Neighbor caregiver is not required to have a certificate of compliance or registration
from the DPW.
Parents may be eligible for assistance through the Child
Care Subsidy Program. A program that helps parents pay for their childcare.
Families must meet eligibility requirements. Call Child Care Information
Services of Indiana County at (724) 349-8830, 1-800-327-3070, or check out their
website at www.childcareinfoservice.org
for more information.
All of the above child care providers can participate in
the Child Care Subsidy Program. In order to participate in the Subsidized Child
Care Program, Relative/Neighbor care givers must pass a Background/CareCheck and
register with their local Child Care Information Services office.
The Department of Public Welfare (DPW) licenses child care
providers. This department also is responsible for investigating complaints
about child care facilities. To find out about a specific providers history of
compliance with child care service regulations or to file a complaint against a
provider, you may contact the Regional Child Day Care Office in Pittsburgh at
1-800-222-2149.
Information for this article was obtained from the
Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare’s website at www.dpw.state.pa.us/ocyf.
You may also contact Child Care
Information Services of Indiana County at the above listed numbers or website.
**Information submitted by Maureen Pounds, Information and Referral Specialist, Indiana County Department of Human Services, (724) 463-8207 and/or e-mail at hsinfo@adelphia.net. BACK TO TOP
Downloadable articles on WORD:
Adjustment
to Child Care
Child Care Checklist
Child Care Facilities
Child
Care for Children With Special Needs
Early Learning
Helping A Child Learn
Language Development
Language Development 2
Motor Development
Preparing a Child to Read
Stimulating Reading
Talk.
