Finding a child care program that meets the needs of your family may be very important. The following are the four most commonly used types of child care by the general public. Some programs have to comply with State licensing regulations, so a licensed child care program may be another option to consider.

– Child care centers are facilities where care typically is provided to children in a nonresidential building with classrooms of children in different age groups. Care is provided for less than 24 hours per day. State child care licensing regulations include definitions of the types of child care centers that must meet licensing requirements. These definitions often include a minimum number of children and/or a minimum number of hours the facility operates to determine whether it must be licensed.

– Family child care settings are facilities where care typically is provided to children in the provider’s residence. Family child care homes usually provide care for a small number of children of mixed ages and have one care provider. As with centers, States have definitions of the types of family child care homes that must be licensed. These definitions are usually based on the number of children in care. For example, several States require family child care homes to be licensed if the provider cares for at least one unrelated child or the children from one family, but many States also allow homes with three or more children to operate without a license. Many States license two types of family child care homes—a small home that has a small number of children and usually one care provider, and a large/group home that usually has a larger number of children and a provider and assistant.

– Family, friend, and neighbor care is provided by relatives, friends, neighbors, and/or other adults who have a close relationship with the parent(s). Care can be provided in the child’s home or the family’s, friend’s, or neighbor’s home.

– Nanny/Au pair is care provided by one person hired by the parent(s) to come into the home on a live-in or live-out basis. Nannies or au pairs can care for the parent’s children and/or groups of children from several families.

For all, though, licensing is a process administered by the State government that sets a baseline of requirements below which it is illegal for facilities to operate. The State agency responsible for child care regulations can provide information about regulations child care programs must meet. Contact information for all State licensing agencies is at National Childcare Information.