Topic Overview
The number of children per adult care provider and the total group
size are two important factors that indicate the quality and safety of a child
care setting. The recommended guidelines for these factors vary by the child's age, the type and size of the child care center, and other aspects. For example, recommendations for group child care centers are shown below:1
Safe child-staff ratio and group size for group child careChildren's ages | Maximum child-to-staff ratio | Maximum group size |
|---|
12 months or younger | 3 to 1 | 6 |
13 to 35 months | 4 to 1 | 8 |
3 years | 7 to 1 | 14 |
4 years | 8 to 1 | 16 |
5 years | 8 to 1 | 16 |
6 to 8 years | 10 to 1 | 20 |
9 to 12 years | 12 to 1 | 24 |
References
Citations
- American Academy of Pediatrics, et al. (2002).
Caring for Our Children—National Health and Safety Standards: Guidelines for Out-of-Home Child Care Programs, 2nd ed. Elk Grove
Village, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics.
Credits
| By | Healthwise Staff |
|---|
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Susan C. Kim, MD - Pediatrics |
|---|
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | John Pope, MD - Pediatrics |
|---|
| Last Revised | September 14, 2012 |
|---|
Last Revised:
September 14, 2012
American Academy of Pediatrics, et al. (2002).
Caring for Our Children—National Health and Safety Standards: Guidelines for Out-of-Home Child Care Programs, 2nd ed. Elk Grove
Village, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics.