Introduction to day care

Day care refers to any arrangement where children are looked after outside their home environment during the day, often in nurseries, crèches, or with childminders, while parents are at work or otherwise occupied. This can be part-time or full-time, and it serves as a substitute for parental care. In the UK, over 600,000 mothers of preschool children are in paid employment, leading many families to use day care. Similarly, in the US, more than 60% of mothers with children under two years old were employed in 1994. While parents are typically the best caregivers, day care becomes necessary for various reasons, and its impact depends on factors like the child's age, the quality of care, and the time spent there.

Day care providers act as substitute caregivers, which means they can influence a child's development in positive or negative ways. Research, such as the Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (SECCYD) by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), has explored these effects by observing over 1,000 preschool children from 1991 to 2007. This study highlighted how day care experiences shape areas like emotional responses, attachment, and readiness for school.

Children react differently when starting day care, which can reveal underlying developmental impacts:

• Some show negative emotions, such as crying, clinging to parents, screaming, or hiding from the caregiver after parents leave. These reactions may indicate separation anxiety and can lead to insecure attachment.
• Others adapt quickly, joining peers with enthusiasm and showing little distress at parents' departure. These children often develop greater security, reduced separation anxiety, and better preparation for school entry.

Effects of day care on social development

Social development involves how children learn to interact with others, form relationships, and manage emotions. Day care can influence this area significantly, with both positive and negative outcomes depending on the environment. Negative effects often link to extended time in day care, while positive effects arise from high-quality settings that encourage interaction.

Negative effects on social development

Extended time in day care, especially in early years, is linked to challenges in social skills:

• Reduced social competence and cooperation, leading to more problem behaviours, negative moods, aggression, and conflicts.
• Increased antisocial behaviour if children spend over 20 hours per week in day care, with risks rising sharply beyond 40 hours.
• Higher rates of insecure attachment, as seen in studies using the Strange Situation.

Positive effects on social development

High-quality day care can enhance social skills by providing opportunities for peer interaction and structured activities:

• Increased sociability, independence, cooperation, conformity, and positive relationships with peers.
• Greater effectiveness when staff are qualified and balance social and educational development equally.

Key research on social development effects

Several studies have examined how day care affects social development, revealing mixed outcomes based on time spent and quality.

Sammons et al. (2003):

• Method - Longitudinal research tracking children's behaviour in relation to day care hours.
• Results - Children spending more than 20 hours per week showed increased antisocial behaviour, escalating significantly at 40+ hours, linking longer day care to higher aggression.

Belsky and Rovine (1988):

• Method - Compared attachment security using the Strange Situation for children in day care versus home care.
• Results - Children in day care for over 20 hours per week were more likely to be insecurely attached than those cared for at home.

Effective Provision of Preschool Education (EPPE) project by Sylva et al. (2003):

• Method - Large-scale UK study observing preschool children's development in various day care settings.
• Results - Day care improved sociability, independence, cooperation, conformity, and peer relations, with high-quality care (qualified staff, balanced focus on social and educational growth) being most beneficial.

Effects of day care on cognitive development

Cognitive development refers to the growth of thinking, problem-solving, and memory skills. Day care's impact here varies by family background and the timing of entry, with benefits often more pronounced for certain groups.

General effects on cognitive development

• Limited impact on children from advantaged families, but significant benefits for those from disadvantaged backgrounds, such as improved school performance.
• Even middle-class children can gain advantages if day care starts early, leading to better cognitive outcomes compared to home care or late entry.

Specific cognitive benefits

• Enhanced short-term memory skills, particularly if high-quality care begins in infancy, with effects lasting up to 54 months even if later care quality drops.
• Better overall school performance for children with longer day care exposure from a young age.

Key research on cognitive development effects

Research has shifted from viewing day care as neutral for advantaged children to recognising broader benefits.

Andersson (1992):

• Method - Swedish longitudinal study examining cognitive outcomes based on day care entry age and duration.
• Results - Children with early and prolonged day care showed superior school performance compared to those with short exposure or home care, including benefits for middle-class children.

Li et al. (2013):

• Method - Analysed data on infants' care quality and memory development up to 54 months.
• Results - High-quality early infant care improved short-term memory, with lasting effects regardless of subsequent care quality, suggesting early day care can provide foundational cognitive benefits, especially for memory.

Factors influencing effects of day care

The outcomes of day care - whether positive or negative - depend on several key factors. Parents should select providers based on their child's age and needs to maximise benefits.

Quality of day care

High-quality day care promotes positive development, while low quality can lead to issues.

According to Clarke-Stewart (1984), key indicators include:

• A planned programme of activities suited to the child's developmental stage, aimed at cognitive and social growth.
• Caregivers trained in child care, especially health and safety.
• Provision of adequate, nutritious meals.
• Maintenance of health records for each child.
• Opportunities for parents to observe and discuss the child's needs.
• Small group sizes and low child-to-staff ratios (e.g., 5-10 children per group for 1-2-year-olds).

Time spent in day care affects outcomes, particularly social ones

• More than 20 hours per week increases risks of antisocial behaviour and insecure attachment.
• Over 40 hours significantly heightens aggression and conflict.

Age of entry into day care influences both social and cognitive impacts

• Entry in the first year can have negative effects if care is poor, but high-quality early care boosts memory and other skills.
• For older children (beyond infancy), day care rarely shows harmful effects and often supports development.
• Early entry (from a young age) is linked to better cognitive outcomes, such as improved school performance.