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Chapter 2
Determining the
Need for Child Care
After studying this chapter, you will be able to
describe the factors that influence the need for child care.
discuss the various types of child care used by families.
identify information that will help you determine the types of child care services
needed now and in the future.
describe the various methods of collecting information.
distinguish between the characteristics of the major philosophical approaches to
programming in children’s centers.
list the characteristics of the different types of child care services.
If you are thinking about providing a child care service, you must make sure there
is a need for that care. While there is generally a child care shortage in the United
States, a new program will not succeed unless it is used by the families in your com-
munity. A program will also not succeed if it does not match the specific needs of area
families. For example, starting a half-day nursery school will not meet the needs of a
working family. A child care center that is open daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM will
not help employees of a factory where the workday is from 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM. If a
child care program is to be successful, it must provide the desired type of care in a
convenient location at the right times of day. In other words, there must be a match
between what families need and what you are providing, 2-1.
To determine the child care needs of your community, you must first identify
those factors that influence child care needs. Next, you will need to determine how
best to assess those factors in your community. Finally, you will try to match the iden-
tified needs with the various types of child care you might offer.
What Are the Characteristics of My Community?
Before you make decisions about the type of service you want to offer, you must
study the community and local families carefully. Questions about location, hours,
tuition, and type of services to offer cannot be answered until you have more informa-
tion. Accurate information is essential if you are going to start a successful child care
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