Healthy Kids, Healthy Care: Child:Staff Ratios

Healthy Kids, Healthy Care:
Child:Staff Ratios
National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care
1-800-598-5437
http://nrckids.org

Key Questions

How many children are being cared for in the child care program?

How many caregivers are there?

Hint: Your child will get more attention if each caregiver has fewer children to take care of. The younger the children are, the more caregivers there should be. For example, one family home caregiver should only take care of two babies.

Want to know more?

• What are considered good ratios of children to caregivers?

• Recommended Ratios for Small (1 – 6 children) Family Homes

If the small family child care home provider has no children under two years of age in care,	then the small family child care home provider may have 1 – 6 children over two years of age in care
If the small family child care home provider has 1 child under two years of age in care,	then the small family child care home provider may have 1 – 3 children over two years of age in care
If the small family child care home provider has 2 children under two years of age in care,	then the small family child care home provider may have no children over two years of age in care

Source: Caring for Our Children, 2nd Ed (American Academy of Pediatrics/American Public Health Association/NRC)

• In a family home setting, should the caregiver's own children be counted as part of the ratio?

Yes.

• Recommended Ratios for Child Centers and Large (more than 6 children) Family Child Care Homes

Age	Maximum Child:Staff Ratio	Maximum Group Size
Birth - 12 mos.	3:1	6
13 - 30 mos.	4:1	8
31 - 35 mos.	5:1	10
3-year-olds	7:1	14
4-year-olds	8:1	16
5-year-olds	8:1	16
6 - 8-year-olds	10:1	20
9 - 12-year-olds	12:1	24

Source: Caring for Our Children, 2nd Ed (American Academy of Pediatrics/American Public Health Association/NRC)

• What does group size mean?

Group size: The number of children assigned to a caregiver or team of caregivers occupying an individual classroom or well defined space within a larger room.

• Special Considerations with Ratios when serving Children with Special Needs

Programs enrolling children with special needs should determine, by an individual review of each child's needs, whether a lower child:staff ratio is required.

Adjustment of the ratio allows for the flexibility needed to meet each child's type and degree of special need.

The program should seek consultation with parents and other professionals regarding the appropriate child:staff ratio and may wish to increase the number of staff members if the child requires significant special assistance.

Source: Caring for Our Children, 2nd Ed (American Academy of Pediatrics/American Public Health Association/NRC)

• Special Considerations when children are swimming or wading

The following child:staff ratios should apply while children are wading or swimming:

Developmental Levels	Child:Staff Ratio
Infants	1:1
Toddlers	1:1
Preschoolers	4:1
School-age Children	6:1

During any swimming/wading activity where either an infant or a toddler is present, the ratio should always be 1 adult to 1 infant/toddler.

An adult should remain in direct physical contact with infants at all times during swimming or wading.

The required ratio of adults to older children should be met without including the adults who are required for supervision of infants and/or toddlers.

Source: Caring for Our Children, 2nd Ed (American Academy of Pediatrics/American Public Health Association/NRC)

• Special Note on State Licensing Regulations

Caregivers are required to meet the state licensing requirements regarding the number of children to caregivers. Because child care is licensed by states in which they are located, and there are no "national rules", some states try to meet what are considered optimal ratios as described in Caring for Our Children, 2nd Ed. and in NAEYC Accreditation. Other states do not. For a look at the differences in states requirements, see the National Association for Regulatory Administration and the National Child Care Information Center's 2005 Licensing Study. Individual caregivers and centers can choose to have lower ratios than what their state requires.

• Why are low ratios of children to caregiver important?

Child verbal interactions improve.

Infant development improves.

Children's behaviors show them feeling comfortable and secure in their surroundings.

The child experiences more positive and nurturing provider interaction.

The spread of illnesses decreases.

Caregivers' ability to remove children quickly and safely in the event of fire improves.

Cleanliness and keeping children physically safe improves.

Caregiver stress is reduced.

The child's stress is reduced.

• When should ratios be maintained?

During all hours of operation, including nap times and when the children are being transported.

Discuss with your caregiver how ratios are maintained when a caregiver is sick or absent from work.

How to help your caregiver with this topic

Share with the caregiver the reasons why lower ratios are important to you and your child.

Be willing to invest in higher quality care. Better staff to child ratios require more staff (or fewer children) and thus, cost more. The money you spend on high quality early care and education builds a solid foundation for lifelong learning!

Since arrival and pick up times vary, centers stagger staff accordingly. Be consistent about your drop off and pick up times, and negotiate changes before they are needed.

Additional Resources

Research

13 Indicators of Quality Child Care: Research Update: Staff Child Ratio and Group Size Indicator
http://aspe.hhs.gov/hsp/ccquality-ind02/#Staff1

Based on Caring for Our Children: National Health and Safety Performance Standards: Guidelines for Out-of-Home Child Care Programs, 2nd Edition, 2002 (American Academy of Pediatrics, American Public Health Association, and National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care)

1.001 RATIOS FOR SMALL FAMILY CHILD CARE HOMES
1.002 RATIOS FOR LARGE FAMILY CHILD CARE HOMES AND CENTERS
1.003 RATIOS FOR FACILITIES SERVING CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL HEALTH NEEDS
1.005 RATIOS FOR WADING AND SWIMMING

Disclaimer: Healthy Kids, Healthy Care is for reference purposes only and shall not be used as a substitute for medical consultation, nor be used to authorize actions beyond a person's licensing, training, or ability.