Choosing a childcare option can be overwhelming. There are many daycare and home childcare options in the Collierville area. But what is the difference between daycare and 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 Tennessee, daycares have the following child-to-teacher ratios:
- 6 weeks-12 months (3:1)
- Toddlers 13-15 months (4:1)
- 3 years (7:1)
- 4 years (8:1)
- 5 years (8:1)
- 6-8 years (10:1)
- 9-12 years (12:1)
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 seven 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 Tennessee caps the maximum classroom size:
- Infants: 6
- Toddlers: 8
- Three’s: 14
- Four’s: 16
- Five’s: 16
- 6-8 years: 20
- 9-12 years: 25
Additionally, ratios must be appropriate for the youngest child in the room. For instance, an hour before closing, a daycare may only have 10 children of varying ages remaining. If one of those children is an infant, the ratio must remain at 3:1 per the infant ratio requirements, and two teachers must be present.
What Is Home Childcare?
Not to be confused with hiring a private nanny to stay at your house, home childcare is when a licensed childcare provider watches other children in their own home.
Some providers care 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 make extra income. However, the provider does not have to have children to run the small business out of their home.
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 6-12 children at one time. The child-to-teacher ratios for this childcare option are:
- 2:1 for under age 12 months
- 2:1 for 13-23 months
- 3:1 for 24-35 months
- 7:1 for 3 years
- 8:1 for 4-5 years
- 10:1 for 6-8 years
- 12:1 for 9-12 years
While there’s a lot to consider when choosing childcare, we believe Collierville Christian Academy is a top option for Collierville childcare. We strive to care for each child individually and help them reach their maximum potential. Contact us today for more information!
