I have done both. The in home childcare were women I was already friends with prior to having my children in their care with the exception for one person. They were all good. The downside if their child gets sick or she is sick you have to find a back-up or take off of work. There also may not be activities planned for the children and more TV time. The downside to a center is the turn-over rate can be high, the cost is more and yes there are more children. All of this varies greatly between centers. My son goes to a pretty small center that is super close to my house. I have dropped by several times before he started. I have visited a length with the directors and I feel very comfortable with him there. One of the directors/owners had in home childcare for many, many years and her daughter bought this small center. They are very on top of the biting issues and illnesses. I worked at a day care center while in college that had all the fancy toys and play equipment and had some wonderful employees but some of the practices I completely disagree with and would not send my children there. You can do a search for registered or licensed in home day care center and day care centers. Go to the Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services website. You can do a search by zip code and it will have all the violations from the inspections for the day cares and what they were for. Here is the website: http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/
I've used both so here's my opinion on both. My daughter was in home daycare until she was 4. She was with a woman who was a friend of mine - not one that I "hung out with" but a mom of a student that I coached for 3 years so I knew her for years. I would never have used a home provider if it wasn't someone I already knew or was a close friend of someone I knew. She did serve well-balanced meals, had a great napping set-up etc. For the first couple of years her mother was her back-up (if she had to leave for an emergency). Then her mother became unable to help so there were 3 times in one year when she had to close for multiple days at a time (2 involved deaths in her family) but it was very difficult to find alternate care. Our son was with her for the first 2 years. Then both kids went into daycare. We used Primrose (which is a national chain, but their are franchises). We couldn't be happier! It is clean, bright, cheerful, and so educational. Yes there has been some turnover with the assistant teachers, but the lead teachers have been there the whole time.
If you have a fantastic reference for a home provider and your work provides some flexibility (to work from home or take your kid to work occasionally) I would feel good about using home care until the age of 2. After that I prefer a daycare. You just have to find a good one. I'm so impressed with how much my kids have learned. The lead teachers at our school all have to have early childhood degrees. Most of the assistants are in college getting those degrees also. Yes you may have to pay quite a bit more to get this quality, but you know you're getting your money's worth.
Good luck on your decision. Do lots of research and ask lots of questions of both kinds of providers.
I have never wanted my children in a home based day care center. It has always concerned me that there is just one, maybe two, people there to care for a number of children in a varied age range. What if that person is having a bad day or my kiddo is not a "favorite" who is there to support them as a professional? care for the child care provider and tell them they are doing a good job. . . etc. I have also been concerned in home child care about licensing/registration and their access to focused one on one time to provide developmentally appropriate learning programs and curriculum. I loved my child care centers for being homey, child centered and age appropriate. (Bright Horizons)
Whatever you choose, be sure to check with the state to understand the providers standing and if they are not registered with state for at least one year (center or home facility) I wouldn't touch them with a 10 foot pole (unless it is grandma - LOL)
Best of luck!
I think in-home care can be a great thing but it is dependant on the care giver. Sometimes the hours of operation can be restrictive but if your work schedule is flexible, this may not be an issue. Also beware of caregivers that take care of their own infant/toddler kids during the same time as they are watching other kids. My former caregiver "caged" the other kids she watched and let her kids run free throughout the house. After witnessing that event, I vowed not to use another homecare person unless their kids were older. Some home caregivers can be more loving than some of the day care workers but it really comes down to the individual caring for your child. I had a very loving caregiver at a daycare center with my second child. I thought she was better than my in-home person that I had with my first child.
If I had to do it again, I would select what I call a "boutique" childcare center such as Carpe Diem, Creme de la Creme or Goddard school since they have lower ratios and sometimes better programing for a developing child. The additional $100-200/ per month is worth the piece of mind. There are some in-home care givers that just love their job and do a great job caring for kids. If you can find one of those, I would go for it.
If you do decide to go the in-home route, you may want to consider moving to a child care center when your child is around 18-24 months so they can take advantage of some of the developmental programs an in-home provider may not be offering.
Good luck.
I like in home for infant care and an accredited preschool once they turn about 2 years old.
a GOOD in home will have schedules, routines, inspections, curriculum, laws just like a preschool would, but if you can find one that has 2+ providers and specializes in babies/toddlers, you have a super low ratio and lots of individualized care. don't do an in home where they are caring for their own child. my son was cared for by a married couple plus a part time helper and it was great. the babies were separated from the toddlers and my son got a ton of attention and love.
an accredited preschool is the way to go once they turn about 2 and there's no need for the boutique center. definitely look for super low turnover. one of my son's preschool teachers has been there 15+ years. About 2/3 of the teachers have been there at least 5-6 years. they work hard for their NAEYC accreditation and it shows. they love those kids a ton and by the time the leave for kindergarten, they will amaze you with what they know and the socialization they have obtained.
I run an in home daycare, so my answer may be biased:) Some things my families really like about me is that I am close by their homes, I only care for 4 children(one is my own), so the ratio is low and the age of the children is similar, so they can all learn together. I find that it can be very hard for one person to adequately care for children in all different sorts of age ranges, so I try to keep them as close in age as possible. I can offer a huge variety of food, plenty of toys and play equipment(I have been collecting them for a few years now, so I have a lot), and quiet beds for a restful nap. I am able to focus on the child's individual needs, which I like, so they can feel as comfortable as possible while staying with me.
The cons are that if I am sick, they need a back up, but if you have a flexible work schedule or a relative who can help you out during those times, it isn't usually too big of a problem. One other thing about sick days to keep in mind, is that an in home provider doesn't make any money if they are sick, so frequent sick days are usually rare and only used when absolutely necessary. It is a big red flag if the provider is constantly calling out sick or needing to cancel daycare too much.
Another con is that if one kid gets sick, the chances are the rest might too, but the good thing is that less children, means less illness being brought in to the home, so illness is less common. It is just that when it does happen, all the kids tend to get sick, because they all share the same toys. I disinfect ALL the time, but there are some things you just can't prevent. A clean home daycare is always a big thing to look for.
One thing I think is important is to judge how your child may react to each setting. A very shy child, who has a little more reservation about being in a large group setting, may not do well in a large daycare and could get lost in the crowd, so a smaller daycare may be better. Other children who are very social and outgoing, may prefer the higher paced activity of a daycart center.
Whatever you do, just get good referrals from friends or family and use your instincts to decide if you feel it is right for your little one. Good luck!!