How has child care changed, since you were a child?
Focus
Childcare has shifted from a more relaxed, informal environment to a more structured and academic one. In the 1960s, child care began to focus on early childhood education, and in the 1990s, daycare programs promoted academics, personal growth, and structured play. Today, childcare centers offer a holistic approach to learning and educational development.
Physical environment
Daycare facilities have improved their physical environment with amenities like sensory rooms, age-appropriate play areas, and technology-enhanced learning spaces
Quality of care
The childcare industry has improved the quality of care it offers, with a greater focus on cognitive development and more parent connectivity.
Enrollment
The types of care children attend have shifted over time. For example, enrollment in center-based early care and education (ECE) has increased, while enrollment in non-center care has decreased.
Governments
Governments in many developed countries have launched programs to support childcare. An educated society can advance more than one that is not. More educated people help the country improve its standing in the world, but most importantly for a child to develop into a contributing member of society needs that early education as a head start. That’s why governments see the value in childcare with an education element.