The concept of out-of-home child care is a relatively new one in the grand scheme of things. Only one or two generations ago, it was usual for one parent (aka ‘Mum') to stay home to care for her children while her partner worked to pay for their (extremely-affordable-by-today-standards) living expenses.
As our society has moved forward, so too has the growth in the out-of-home childcare sector, allowing for our little ones to be cared for by professionally trained early childhood educators, while both parents work. Few would argue with the fact that this has been an enormous blessing.
In fact, often early childhood education centres and care centres serve as our modern-day ‘villages', providing us with an extended network of those willing to care for and educate our young. Let's face it; without access to childcare, many families would be lost.
Oftentimes, parents need to consider the needs of their family as a whole when determining the ‘right time' to start their little one in childcare. They might need to weigh up how long they have access to paid parental leave; for how long they can hit ‘pause' on their career or study plans; what other family supports are available; and the size of the waiting list at their preferred local centre. So many legitimate, practical considerations come into play for families when deciding when to start.
But of course, all families are different. And for some, the key question around starting childcare mightn't be, ‘When is the best time for my family?', but instead, ‘When is the best age to start day care for my child?'.
When is the right time for your journey to begin?
Let research guide us
Thankfully, from the time children are aged three and beyond, we can rely on research to guide us with this question. It is now internationally recognised that providing children with a high-quality pre-school education from the age of three helps to develop the foundations for their cognitive, emotional, language, creative and literacy skills.
These impacts have been shown to make the transition to primary school47 easier for children, and importantly, they've also been shown to provide children with long-lasting health, social, behavioural and academic benefits that can last right into adulthood.
According to the research, these benefits are particularly noticeable in children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
But what about children aged younger than three?
Should they get an earlier start in childcare? Unfortunately, there's not enough Australian-based research data on the impact of childcare on children aged 0-3. As a result, childcare has simply not been proven to benefit younger children in the same way that it does when they're a little older.
Ultimately though, if your family as a unit benefits from your child attending a childcare centre (eg, less financial pressure; lower parent stress levels etc), then your child is likely benefiting from your happier and healthier family environment too. It's just harder to rely on broad research recommendations when practical, family-factors like these are in play.
Starting childcare when it suits
Regardless of when you choose to start your child in centre-based care, there is one critical factor to look for. And that's quality. The reality is, that not all childcare is created equal. Quality is key. High-quality childcare programs provide a safe and stimulating, play-based environment. They recognise the importance of developing a secure, consistent relationship with your child.
Make sure you take the time to research and visit your different child care centre options as you decide on where to enrol your child. Look specifically for centres that meet or exceed the National Quality Standards. Regardless of your child's age, it's the quality of the care they receive that will ultimately make the biggest difference.
While our family circumstances might differ, we all want the same thing - to provide our children with the best start in life. If we focus on providing them with high-quality care and warm, nurturing relationships, both inside and, when the time comes, outside of our homes, then we can feel confident we're doing just that.
Dr Kaylene Henderson is a highly trained and sought after Child Psychiatrist and parenting expert. Based in Queensland, she dedicates her time and knowledge to a wide audience of parents, educators and corporate groups while raising three gorgeous kids of her own.
