Comparing childcare: Long day care vs. family day care

A child plays with toys at Narrabundah Cottage Childcare Centre in Canberra. Source: AAP

One of the most challenging decisions for parents is determining the type of care service that best suits the family's needs. In today's Usapang Parental, we delve into the choice between family day care and long day care (centre-based) with insights from early childhood educator Lori Inumerable.

Long day care and family day care, although having very different structures, share a common guide when it comes to regulations under the National Quality Framework.
Most centre-based care facilities provide meals, while it varies for family day care, as some may or may not offer meals.
In terms of fees, centre-based day care may be more expensive compared to family day care. Regarding child ratio, long day care ratios are calculated across the whole service, while family day care typically maintains a children-to-caretaker ratio of 1 to 4.