Childcare Trends that Parents Should Know in 2018

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.