There is a subtle but serious evolution going on in the child care world, with parents and providers figuring out how best to serve each other. Parents who are expecting a baby, or have a child who will be entering childcare soon, will be interested in some of the childcare trends for 2018 and beyond. Here are the top six.
1. Flexible Hours
There is an understanding that child care costs are not sustainable for many families. Parents end up taking their child out of daycare because they cannot keep up with the cost of having the child at the facility full-time, five days a week. That is why many centers are offering flexible hours, along with reduced rates. Pay arrangements are also becoming increasingly common, for families that cannot keep up with the costs.
2. Early Education
In the past, child care consisted of adults babysitting kids and ensuring they were having a good time. Now early education has become such a pivotal part of child care. Many of these facilities are learning centers where kids are getting the basic education one might expect during the early days of pre-school.
3. Corporate Childcare
Many companies in the United States are upping their game with respect to child care. It helps them retain female employees, and appeal to those who are looking for work. Some companies offer in-house child care centers, while others team up with centers around the area to offer heavily discounted rates for employees. Many companies that seek new locations for their offices or headquarters are assessing the availability of quality childcare nearby because they know it is important to their employees.
4. Technological Advancements
Many child care centers understand that parents want to keep a closer eye on their kids, even when they are not in the same place. Thanks to technology, many day care centers can set up cameras in select parts of the facility, where they provide the parents with a live stream of everything that is happening. If a parent wants to check out their child in the middle of the workday, they can do so by viewing the live footage.
5. Importance of Security
The prevalence of unsafe incidents involving children at child care centers is something that all providers are concerned about. And most are doing a very good job of tackling the problem. They are starting by conducting serious background checks on every applicant, even if that person is not directly in contact with the children. Surveillance and monitoring is also a major part of the best child care centers in the country, as they ensure their employees are behaving appropriately at all times.
6. Multitude of Options
Parents are becoming more accepting that there is not a single type of child care that is right for their family. Some parents put their kids in a different daycare center during the school year and switch to another one in the summer. Others will opt for an in-house nanny when their child is a toddler, and switch to a daycare center when they are a bit older.
3 Comments
My aunt wants to return to the workforce, but has been nervous about putting her child into child care. I think she’ll be glad to know that child care facilities offer flexible daycare hours at reduced rates. I’ll definitely share this article with her, so she can see the benefits of newer daycare techniques.
I really like how you talk about the new childcare trends of 2018. This will really help me to take better care of my child. Maybe I should look into a good daycare for him to go to later this year.
This is some really good information about childcare. My sister is looking for a daycare for her son. I liked that you pointed out it might be smart for her to look for one that has flexible hours. Since she works that does seem like a good thing for her to do.