History of Child care in Timeline

Child care, or day care, involves the supervision and care of children, usually from three months to 18 years old, by non-parental caregivers. It is a broad field encompassing diverse professionals, settings, activities, and social norms. Early child care plays a critical, though often underestimated, role in child development, providing essential support and enrichment during formative years.

1969: Lack of Cross-Cultural Childcare Research

In 1969, The Handbook of Socialization Theory and Research included virtually no reference to caretaking of children by anyone other than parents.

1971: Comprehensive Child Development Act Veto

In 1971, the Comprehensive Child Development Act, which aimed to create nationally funded child care centers offering early childhood services, after-school care, nutrition, counseling, and medical/dental care on a sliding scale, was passed by Congress but vetoed by President Richard Nixon.

1977: Weisner and Gallimore Article on Cross-Cultural Childcare

In their 1977 article, Thomas S. Weisner and Ronald G. Gallimore reported on their study of over a hundred countries, finding that in agricultural/horticultural societies, siblings and similar-aged children are responsible for younger children.

1990: Child Care and Development Block Grant Act

In 1990, the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act was enacted under the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990, creating a dedicated federal funding stream for child care subsidies to low-income families.

1995: U.S. Census Bureau Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP)

According to the 1995 U.S. Census Bureau Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP), over 36% of families of preschoolers with working mothers primarily relied on childcare in the home of a relative, family daycare provider or other non-relative.

1996: The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act

In 1996, the 104th Congress passed The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA), consolidating three federal child care programs previously serving low-income families under the program formerly known as Aid to Families with Dependent Children.

1997: WHO Study of Child Development

Since 1997, the World Health Organization has conducted an extensive study of six developing nations to develop standards for child growth.

1999: Canadian Child Care Survey Results

In 1999, a Canadian survey of formal child care centers found that labor accounted for 63% of costs, with the industry having an average profit of 5.3%. The survey also indicated little economies of scale between larger and smaller operators.

1999: Female-Dominated Occupation in the US

In 1999, in the United States, the occupation of "child care worker" was the fifth most female-dominated occupation (95.5% female).

2000: US Studies on Daycare Effects

Several studies undertaken in the United States from 2000 to 2007, said that good daycare for non-infants is not harmful. In some cases, good daycare can provide different experiences than parental care does, especially when children reach two years old and are ready to interact with other children.

2001: Increased Childcare Attendance in the US

As of 2001, more than half of the children in the United States attended childcare facilities, a number that has increased along with the number of working parents.

2001: Childcare Use in America

By 2001, child care had become an important aspect of American society, with more than "thirteen million American children under 5 years of age experiencing some form of child care before entering formal school."

2001: Public Agenda Childcare Research

In 2001, Public Agenda began undertaking research on childcare in the United States.

2003: Organized Childcare Use by American Families

By 2003, almost 26% of families in the United States used organized childcare facilities as their primary arrangement.

2003: American Study on Daycare and Child Behavior

In 2003, an American study published in Child Development indicated that time spent in daycare before age four-and-a-half tended to correlate with a child's likelihood of being less agreeable, more disobedient, and more aggressive, although still within the normal range.

2003: IRS Child and Dependent Care Credit information

In 2003, the IRS provided information on Child and Dependent Care Credit.

2006: New Zealand uses 'Te Whaariki' and learning stories in curriculum

By 2006, New Zealand used learning stories as a learning model in their curriculum called "Te Whaariki".

2006: University of Florida Childcare Research

In 2006, the Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences (IFAS) at the University of Florida began undertaking research on childcare in the United States.

2007: National Institute of Child Health Development survey findings

A National Institute of Child Health Development survey from 2007 indicated the lack in quality of American healthcare centers.

2007: Creation of the Federal Daycare Programme for Working Mothers

In 2007, the 'Federal Daycare Programme for Working Mothers' was created in Mexico, enabling subsidized home and community-based childcare. Care center operators needed a psychological test and training in childcare principles to open their businesses, receiving funds to furnish facilities. The program also subsidized care provided by non-profits, private for-profits, or religious institutions in areas of need.

2007: Childcare program creation by the Ministry of Social Development

In 2007, the Ministry of Social Development in Mexico created a childcare program focused on aiding children and mothers not covered by social security services. This program specifically targeted low-income families, requiring mothers to be working or seeking employment and considering their income relative to the minimum wage, along with their lack of access to other services.

2007: NIH Study on Childcare Quality and Development

In March 2007, the National Institute of Health released a study finding that children who received higher quality childcare scored higher on 5th-grade vocabulary tests. However, teachers also reported these children to be more disobedient and argumentative, though the researchers emphasized that the children's behavior was within the normal range.

2007: US Studies on Daycare Effects

2008: Not-for-profits and High Quality Environments

A 2008 article in The Star stated that not-for-profit organizations are much more likely to create high-quality childcare environments.

2008: India adopts WHO standards for child growth

In 2008, the GOI adopted the World Health Organization standards for measuring and monitoring child growth and development, both for the ICDS and the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM).

2009: National Child Care Information and Technical Assistance Center (NCCIC)

In 2009, the National Child Care Information and Technical Assistance Center (NCCIC) began providing information and technical assistance related to childcare in the United States.

2011: Daycare guarantee in Norway

In Norway, by August 1, 2011, the government guaranteed daycare for all children at least 1 year old, with most regions approaching full coverage and a maximum price set to ensure affordability for all families.

2012: Head Start teacher requirements raised

By 2012, all lead teachers in Head Start programs in the US were required to have a bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education. State legislation continues to regulate the number and ages of children allowed before a home is considered an official daycare program, and states vary in their standards for daycare providers.

2013: The Hell of American Day Care

In 2013, The New Republic published a cover story entitled, "The Hell of American Day Care", that discussed potential benefits and harms related to formal child care.

2013: Cost of Childcare in Australia

In 2013, the median weekly cost of center-based long day care in Australia was approximately A$364, making it unaffordable for many lower-income families.

March 2014: Senate passes reauthorization of Child Care and Development Block Grant

In March 2014, the U.S. Senate passed a reauthorization of the Child Care and Development Block Grant program that included "some baseline changes to make sure there's safe child care".

September 2014: Bipartisan agreement to reauthorize Child Care and Development Block Grant Act

On 12 September 2014, House and Senate leaders reached a bipartisan agreement to reauthorize the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act to enhance transparency, strengthen health and safety protections, and improve the quality of care.

November 2014: Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 2014 Signed into Law

On 19 November 2014, President Barack Obama signed S.1086, the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 2014, into law.

2017: Childcare Organizations Risk Assessment

According to a 2017 survey by HiMama, 68% of for-profit childcare organizations ranked 'Labor' as their top risk, and 65% ranked 'Talent and Recruitment' as their top priority.

2018: Cost of free universal Childcare in India

During the 2018–19 fiscal year, free childcare provided by the state through the Integrated Child Development Services in India, cost the state ₹28,335 crore (US$3.4 billion).

April 2019: Childcare Waitlist Statistics in Japan

As of April 2019, Okinawa had the highest percentage of children on the waitlist for childcare in Japan at 2.8%, while Tokyo had the largest number of children on the waitlist at 3,690.

2020: Child care cost survey

In 2020, child care annual costs were surveyed.

2021: Minimum Supervision Ratios for Educators in Australia

As of 2021, minimum supervision ratios of educators to children in Australia were 1:4 for infants, 1:5 for 2–3 years old, 1:10 for preschoolers in NSW, TAS and WA, and 1:11 for preschoolers in ACT, NT, QLD, SA and VIC.

2021: Canadian Government Investment in Childcare

In 2021, the Canadian government, reflecting on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, committed up to $8.3 billion to decrease the cost of childcare services, including those for early learning and indigenous communities.