| Before the industrial revolution, there was no | | | | groups spent more time in management tasks |
| concept of an infant day care centre. However, | | | | and restricting behavior, and less time in |
| with the rise in technology, materialism and | | | | one-to-one interaction and cognitive-language |
| economic meltdown, it has become inevitable for | | | | stimulation of the infants. |
| both the parents to work in order to make both | | | | These behaviors gave rise to increased apathy |
| ends meet. Mothers are no longer available at all | | | | and distress in infants. Caregivers with little |
| times to look after their infants. In order to live a | | | | child-related formal education engaged in less |
| comfortable life, they have to go out and work. | | | | frequent positive adult-infant interactions and |
| Thus, most infants are deprived of the warmth | | | | were less likely to have a developmentally |
| of maternal care during the working hours of the | | | | appropriate program. According to the |
| mothers. | | | | Accreditation Criteria of the National Academy of |
| This situation has given birth to a whole new | | | | Early Childhood Programs (Bredekamp, 1984), the |
| phenomenon of infant day care. According to a | | | | optimum standard specifies a maximum group |
| research, in 1970, 24% of mothers with children | | | | size of 8 and a staff-child ratio of 1:4 for infants |
| under 2 years old were in the labor force. By | | | | under 12 months. For infants of 1 to 2 years, |
| March 1984, the figure was 46.8% (U.S. Dept. of | | | | maximum group size should be 12, and staff-child |
| Labor, 1984). You can very well imagine what the | | | | ratio 1:4. The lead teacher in an infant center |
| figures can be today. The question arises, who | | | | should have a baccalaureate degree in early |
| cares for these infants when their mothers are | | | | childhood education or child development. |
| not around? Infants (25%) are cared for in their | | | | This is so because of the fact that quality and |
| own homes. Others (75%) are cared for outside | | | | frequency of adult-child interactions are highly |
| the home by a baby-sitter, or in family day care | | | | critical variables in infant care. Infants rely on and |
| (group care by an individual in her home). Only | | | | learn from interactions with adults. Through their |
| about 18% are cared for in licensed center-based | | | | healthy relationship with adults, infants explore the |
| care (U.S. Dept. of Commerce, June 1982). | | | | environment and develop social competence with |
| Although state licensing standards apply to both | | | | peers. It is also important to mention here that |
| center-based and family day care, most family | | | | infant day care centers where adults talk to |
| day care centers for infants remain unlicensed. | | | | infants, an enhancement of language development |
| This crisis in infant day care has forced parents to | | | | is clearly observed. According to Bredekamp, |
| go for cost-effectiveness and availability and not | | | | Caregivers who respond to infant signals and |
| quality and state-standards. Experts divide infant | | | | needs build infants' self-esteem and physical and |
| day care quality into three categories: (1) | | | | cognitive abilities. |
| structural features (group size, staff-child ratios, | | | | It is therefore extremely important for working |
| caregiver training, equipment, space); (2) dynamic | | | | parents to critically evaluate the quality and |
| aspects (experiences and interactions); and (3) | | | | working of the potential infant day care center |
| contextual features (staff stability and turnover, | | | | where they wish to leave their child. It is advisable |
| type of setting). Researches show that small | | | | to go for licensed centers and not to compromise |
| group size, low staff-infant ratios, and strong | | | | on quality if they wish their child to develop a |
| caregiver qualifications result in positive outcomes. | | | | healthy psychology and good behavior. |
| It was also observed that caregivers with larger | | | | |