Types of child care
Last updated: December 1, 2023
Navigating through the myriad of child care options can be a complex task. Each type offers unique benefits and considerations, tailored to different needs and preferences. Here, we explore these options to help you make an informed decision that aligns with your family’s requirements.
Icon key
The dollar sign icon indicates the most affordable child care options. The calendar icon indicates child care options that are generally the most reliable. The street sign icon indicates child care options that offer the most flexibility.
Center-Based Child care: A Regulated and Socially Enriching Environment
Center-based child care stands as a beacon of structured, regulated care, offering a unique blend of social interaction and professional oversight. These facilities are licensed by Washington state, ensuring adherence to safety, health and educational quality standards. This regulatory framework not only upholds a high standard of care but also provides parents with peace of mind, knowing their children are in a safe, nurturing environment.
A key advantage of center-based care is the opportunity it presents for children to engage with peers, fostering social skills and emotional development from an early age. In these settings, children are grouped with others in their age range, allowing for age-appropriate socialization and learning experiences. Additionally, center-based care is staffed by trained child care providers, skilled in early childhood education, ensuring that your child’s developmental needs are met with expertise and care.
Child Care Centers 
Description: These facilities offer full or part-time care, grouping children by age for age-appropriate activities. Some smaller centers might have mixed-age groups.
Benefits: Reliable, year-round service with opportunities for social interaction and structured activities. Centers adhere to state regulations ensuring early learning training, safety instruction, first aid training and criminal background checks of providers.
Considerations: Less flexibility for parents with non-standard work schedules and potential for larger class sizes.
Family Child care Homes 
Description: Care provided in a caregiver’s home, typically featuring mixed-age groups.
Benefits: A homely environment, potentially more flexible hours, and the opportunity for siblings to stay together. Licensed child care homes adhere to state regulations ensuring early learning training, safety instruction, first aid training and criminal background checks of providers.
Considerations: Backup care may be needed if the provider is unavailable. Close communication with the provider is crucial.
Preschools
Description: Focused on school readiness, these programs may operate full-day or follow a typical school schedule with breaks.
Benefits: Often more affordable, with a focus on early education. Preschools adhere to state regulations ensuring early learning training, safety instruction, first aid training and criminal background checks of providers.
Considerations: Generally part-time and suitable for children over 2.5 years and potty trained.
In-Home Child care: Personalized care in a familiar setting
In-home options offer a personalized and intimate approach to child care, set in the comforting environment. This category encompasses a range of care types, including nannies, au pairs and family, friend and neighbor care, each providing one-on-one attention and a tailored experience to meet your child’s unique needs.
In these settings, children benefit from consistent care and a stable routine in a familiar environment, which can be particularly reassuring for young children. In-home caregivers can adapt to your family’s schedule, values, and parenting style, offering a level of customization that is challenging to replicate in group care settings.
While this option fosters a deep bond between the caregiver and child, it also requires careful selection and management to ensure the caregiver aligns well with your family’s expectations and needs.
Nanny Care 
Description: A nanny provides child care within the family’s home, offering personalized attention to the children’s needs.
Benefits: Consistent care tailored to the family’s schedule and values.
Considerations: Can be more expensive, requires careful selection and management.
Nanny Share
Description: A shared arrangement where a nanny cares for children from multiple families.
Benefits: Cost-effective compared to individual nannies, and offers socialization opportunities.
Considerations: Requires coordination between families and alignment on caregiving approaches.
Au Pair
Description: A foreign national providing child care as part of a cultural exchange program.
Benefits: Exposure to different cultures, often more flexible hours.
Considerations: Limited to a 2-year maximum stay, specific regulatory requirements.
Family, Friend, and Neighbor Care
Description: Informal care by individuals known to the family.
Benefits: Trust and familiarity, often more flexible and affordable.
Considerations: May lack formal training in early childhood education.
Each of these child care options presents its own set of advantages and challenges. It’s important to consider what aligns best with your family’s lifestyle, values, and the specific needs of your child. Remember, the right choice varies for each family and there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to child care.