What to do for summer vacation?
It’s a question that plagues school-age children, who eagerly
make plans as the school year draws to a close.
What to do for summer vacation?
It’s a question that plagues school-age children, who eagerly make plans as the school year draws to a close.
But for their parents, answering it is far more pressing. When the school year is ending, the scramble to find adequate child care for school-age children is just beginning.
When making their decisions, parents need to consider cost, training and experience, and, of course, whether it will be fun for the child. It is summer vacation, after all.
“Because school-agers are used to being in school, if anything looks like school they don’t want any part of it,” said Mindy Bostick, co-owner of A Children’s Garden in Morgan Hill. “Kids are there for the food, friends and fun.”
Options vary from child care centers to family care, in which a provider cares for a number of children in the home, to having friends or relatives take care of children. Not all providers are licensed by the state.
Child care centers are by far the most popular option among parents. In Santa Clara County, 73 percent of children enrolled in licensed child care are enrolled in centers, while 27 percent are in family child care, according to the 2003 California Child Care Portfolio.
Child care centers can be government- or privately run through churches, schools and other organizations. Champions is one such program. It’s an after-school program that provides full-day care in the summer at Antonio Del Buono and Luigi Aprea elementary schools.
Lety Mejia’s two children attend Champions at Antonio Del Buono.
“They love it here. You can never get them out,” she said.
A Children’s Garden and Champions stress that the health and safety of the children come first.
“I treat these kids like they are one of my own,” said Champions Director Christina Barrientos said. “I take care of them. I guide them.”
There are also government-run child care centers in South County. Go Kids, Inc. offers two – one at Los Arroyos in Gilroy and the other at Galvan Park in Morgan Hill.
Instructors at private child care centers are required to have at least 12 post-secondary units of early childhood education.
At government-run centers, the state requires teachers to have a permit, which takes a minimum of 24 units of early childhood education and 16 units of general education to earn.
In family child care, licensing is for the home, showing it has passed a health and safety check, not for the provider.
“Family childcare varies from excellent, really excellent, to mediocre and less than that depending on the individual, and that’s where parents really need to do their homework,” said Dr. Marlene Bumgarner, a child development instructor at Gavilan College and author of the book “Working With School-Aged Children.”
Family child care providers are required to complete 15 hours of health and safety training and be first-aid and CPR certified.
Figuring out which type of child care to go with depends on the child.
“Sometimes, large centers are overwhelming to the younger children,” said Judy Wendorf, owner of Judy’s Helping Hands Child Care in Gilroy, where she cares for as many as 12 children, primarily up to age 5. “Some are happier in small settings, some thrive in larger settings. You just have to know your child and take it from there.”
Paying for child care is another matter.
Cost varies widely, but it can get expensive, and finding affordable care quickly is tougher for low-income families.
Cathy Boettcher, deputy director of Go Kids, said there is a strong demand for subsidized child care like Go Kids. Although Go Kids centers are subsidized, not all of the children enrolled are from low-income families. The agency serves Monterey, San Benito, Watsonville and South Santa Clara County and has a list of 378 families waiting for subsidized child care.
“If you’re a low-income family that can’t afford the cost of child care, you’re going to sit on a long waiting list,” Boettcher said.
When looking for child care, parents should call a referral service or check the listings in the yellow pages, as well as visit the providers with their children. Many centers offer tours daily.
“Always go on a tour,” Boettcher said. “I would always encourage people to show up unannounced.”
Other child care options are available, but types such as in-home care, which is provided by a friend, relative or baby sitter and home care providers, who care for children from only one other family besides their own, are not licensed.
A license is no guarantee, either. Parents can research the background of any licensed family care provider or child care center. The license number should be displayed in a prominent place on the premises. Boettcher urges people to write down the number and then call the California Department of Social Services, Community Care Licensing Division to see if the licensed provider is complying with child care regulations and has no history of violations.
Above all, parents should trust their instincts.
“If it’s too good to be true, it probably is,” Boettcher said. “People should expect chaotic situations. They should expect it to be loud. They should expect to see lots of happy children.”
