Family day care is the name given to child care that is provided in an individual's home for a small group of children, often including the provider's own children. Despite the fact that family day care is more prevalent than center-based care, state regulations for family day care homes are minimal, usually covering the number of children of various ages that are permitted and some basic health and safety protections. A statement by the caregiver attesting to good moral character and sound health is also commonly required.
Regulatory standards vary widely from state to state.
Some states require only registration with spot monitoring while others require licensing with regularly scheduled monitorIng visits. Requirements and resources for training also vary across the country. Originally, child care was seen as a substitute for parental care and therefore primarily a service for parents. As child development knowledge grew, the quality of the child's experience in child care became a concern because of the possible detrimental effects of custodial, unstimulating care on the child's development. More recently, questions about possible negative effects on the child's social, emotional, and cognitive development have been raised, especially in the case of infants.