Essentials for excellence in quality early child care

Abstract

ABSTRACT Often, because of low wages for center and family childcare providers, low-income family financial constraints, and sometimes lack of societal awareness and appreciation for the crucial nature of early childhood relationships for later life flourishing, many agencies and decision-makers do not set specific standards for qualifications for training needed for high quality provision of childcare. Clarification of these requirements is the first step in implementing increased training and also providing supports for such learning by care providers, who may not be able to afford advanced education costs. Below are discussed, and illustrated with real-life examples, ten specific suggestions for empowering childcare providers, directors, and also parents, with the knowledge and the breadth of knowledge and understandings required in order to provide excellence in caring for young children.