Child Care: MedlinePlus

MedlinePlus Trusted Health Information for You

Other Health Topics:

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
XYZ
List of All Topics

Photograph of a senior man reading a book to three young boys

Related Topics
- Child Safety
- Children and Teenagers
Go Local
- Services and providers for Child Care in the U.S.
- Select from map

Child Care

Also called: Day care

Children's healthy development depends on safe and positive experiences when they are very young. If you work or go to school, you want to know that your child is in good hands while you are away. You may choose in-home care, where the caregiver comes to your home. Or your child might go to the caregiver's home. Finally, there are child care centers. You need to choose the one that works for your family.

It is important to get to know your child's caregivers. They will be a big part of your child's life. The caregiver's training should involve

Knowledge of how young children learn and grow
Positive, consistent discipline
Knowledge of the signs that a child is sick
Cleanliness and safety practices to help keep kids from getting sick or hurt
Basic first aid

Start Here

Choosing Child Care(Nemours Foundation)
Healthy Kids, Healthy Care(National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education)
Also available in Spanish

Basics	Learn More	Multimedia & Cool Tools
Overviews Latest News	Specific Conditions Related Issues	No links available
Research	Reference Shelf	For You
Financial Issues Research Journal Articles	Dictionaries/Glossaries Directories Organizations Law and Policy Statistics	Children Teenagers Men

Overviews
- Child Care - Finding High-Quality Care(American Academy of Pediatrics)
- Is This the Right Place for My Child?(National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies) - PDF
Latest News
- Many Parents, Caregivers Lack Basic Child-Safety Information(08/11/2009, HealthDay)
Specific Conditions
- All in the Family: Making Child Care Provided by Relatives Work for Your Family(National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies) - PDF
- Child Care - Center-Based Care(American Academy of Pediatrics)
- Types of Care(National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies)
  Also available in Spanish
Related Issues
- Be Sure Your Child Care Setting Is As Safe As It Can Be(Consumer Product Safety Commission)
  Also available in Spanish
- Building a Relationship with Caregivers(American Academy of Pediatrics)
- Child Care for Children with Special Needs(American Academy of Pediatrics)
- Choosing and Instructing a Babysitter(Nemours Foundation)
- Controlling Illness in Child Care Programs(American Academy of Pediatrics)
- Five Steps to Choosing Summer Child Care(National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies) - PDF
  Also available in Spanish
- How Asthma-Friendly Is Your Child-Care Setting? Checklist(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
  Also available in Spanish
- Preparing for Disaster: The Parent View(National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies)
- Selecting a Quality After-School Program for Your Child(National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies) - PDF
- Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and the Child Care Provider(Maternal and Child Health Bureau, First Candle/SIDS Alliance) - PDF
Return to top
Financial Issues
- Finding Help Paying for Child Care(National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies) - PDF
Return to top
Research
- Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (SECCYD)(National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)
Return to top
Journal Articles
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
Return to top
Dictionaries/Glossaries
- Child Care Glossary(National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies)
Return to top
Directories
- NAEYC Accredited Program Search(National Association for the Education of Young Children)
- State Child Care Home Pages(National Child Care Information Center)
- State Child Care Licensing Agency(National Child Care Information Center)
Return to top
Organizations
- Child Care Aware(National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies)
  Also available in Spanish
- Child Care Bureau
- National Child Care Information Center
- National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Return to top
Law and Policy
- Individual States' Child Care Licensure Regulations(National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education)
Return to top
Statistics
- Who's Minding the Kids?: Child Care Arrangements(Bureau of the Census)
Return to top
Children
- Preparing Your Child for Child Care(American Academy of Pediatrics)
Return to top
Teenagers
- Babysitting Basics(Nemours Foundation)
  Also available in Spanish
- Tips for Having a Safe Babysitting Experience(American Red Cross)
Return to top
Men
- Guide for Dads: Give Your Child an Early Lead in Life... Quality Child Care(National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies) - PDF
Return to top

Other Health Topics:

Related Topics

Go Local