Home Childcare is often compared with daycares. Both are forms of early childhood education where an educator looks after a specific number of children. However, unlike Daycare facility centres, a home childcare centre is located in the educator’s home. Depending on where you live, some educators will be licensed while some will not, but all will have to pass an inspection and background check in order to be qualified to offer Home Childcare.

Many educators are dedicated to developing programs inspired by different learning philosophies, i.e., Montessori-Inspired, Play Based-Inspired, etc. With a home childcare centre, the daily plan may differ from one home childcare centre to another, due to the fact that the educators have the freedom to make their own schedules and test what works best. As a parent, you have the ability to build a lasting relationship with the educator. You are able to build strong and effective communication which is the key to feeling safe and secure while not physically being present in the home yourself.

While there are many childcare options to choose from, we want you to choose one that is the right fit for your family. It is important to remember that childcare is not “one size fits all” and what works for one family, might not work for yours. Daycare centres can be an extremely high cost for families and have long waitlists for your children. Here at Dreamschools, we help parents connect with local home-based or community-based childcares. We do our best to find plans that work with each parent's individual schedule. We understand that not every parent is going to need the standard 8 AM -5 PM care for their child, and home childcare offers a solution to this problem. Home childcare offers flexible daycare times anywhere from 6 AM to 8 PM, depending on your schedule.

Benefits of Home Childcare

There are several benefits of Home Childcare that may suit your specific family needs. Home childcare gives the chance to build strong, lasting relationships with the educator. This is due to the fact that you will likely be with one educator for a long period of time and be able to get comfortable with them. Home childcare can be seen as a home away from home for children, which can help aid in the transition process and be easier on families. In most cases, there will be mixed-age groups which can spark a child's development of key social skills and leadership. Home childcare often mirrors family life which can help children step out of their comfort zone and build sibling-like bonds with other children. Home childcare puts a greater emphasize on one-on-one care that is more affordable while still being high quality and having a positive impact on education.

While we do encourage you to consider home childcare, at the end of the day, choose a childcare method that best suits the needs of you and your child. Both home childcare and daycare centres have their strengths and both are good choices. It comes down to what you value as a parent and the type of environment you would like to see your child grow up in. If you are considering home childcare, head to Dreamschools to find the Dreamschool for your child.