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hild care is among the fastest-growing industries With so many families forced to earn two incomes to meet their obligations as well as the increasing number of single-parent families, the potential for careers in child care can be appreciated In one Harvard study, during a thirty-day period, 35 percent of female workers and 24 percent of male workers had to cut back hours at least one day out of seven to care for a family member Business and industry have found this a challenging problem, especially for their personnel managers, who often must help employees locate child-care facilities Child care is not a new concept; Mrs Joseph Hall established the first day nursery for children of seamen s widows and working wives in 1838 Fourteen years later, the Nurses and Children s Hospital in New York City began to care for children of working women who had been patients of the institution The 1893 Chicago World s Fair featured a day nursery, which welcomed some ten thousand children Five years after the fair closed, the National Federation of Day Nurseries listed 175 nursing operations, most of which operated in converted homes Under the New Deal during the 1930s, the number swelled to more than nineteen hundred but fell off as federal financing was withdrawn About 52 percent of all children have mothers that work About 27 percent of preschoolers are cared for by nonrelatives; 16 percent are in preschools

In 2000, it was estimated that there were some 120,000 day-care centers for children scattered across the nation According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, by the late 1990s, preschool teachers and child-care workers held about 13 million jobs Almost all day-care centers provide at least some informal learning experiences Such programs are referred to as either open or closed programs The former describes a structured plan, which provides for social development but no formal learning; the closed program offers the children daily procedures that emphasize the learning process more than social development or self-expression Child caregivers are known by various titles: baby-sitter, caretaker, child minder, teacher, day-care provider, or caregiver Many older women, and a growing number of men, are found in the ranks Applicants will find that educational and experience requirements vary widely from center to center Some want teachers who have specialized in early childhood education; others only hire individuals who have a bachelor s degree; many seek applicants who have earned a CDA (child development associate) degree at a junior college or two-year vocational-technical school Former or working elementary school teachers usually find a welcome at many centers

People who manage small centers in their homes may need an untrained assistant or two The staff of the typical large center is usually organized along the following lines:

This individual is responsible for the overall administration of the organization and program planning He or she may have a secretary and perhaps an assistant, in addition to the usual office support staff Educational requirements range from a bachelor s

degree in education plus two years experience working with children to a master s degree in education

In this profession, caregivers are commonly called teachers because some emphasis is placed on learning The head teacher is in charge of the teaching staff and is responsible for day-to-day planning and contact with parents A high school diploma is the minimum educational requirement, but many centers want teachers who have earned a CDA degree

The basic caregiving staff consists of teachers who might be expected to have an educational background similar to that of the head teacher

These individuals might be volunteers or paid employees who have qualifications similar to those expected of teachers