Child Care vs Early Childhood Education
When you’re looking for the right form of care for your little one, it’s important to understand the difference between child care/day care and early childhood education (ECE).
Child care is designed to meet the basic needs of children, such as feeding, changing, and playing. It’s a great option for parents who are working or attending school. ECE, on the other hand, is a more focused and educational approach to caring for young children. It makes learning the primary focus and helps prepare kids for elementary school.
ECE also teaches important cognitive, interpersonal, and social skills. It focuses on providing educational components beyond basic care, such as music and language classes, art activities, and story time. This helps children get a strong foundation in their earliest years that will help them excel in school and beyond.
Understanding the NSW Government’s Approach to ECE
The New South Wales Department of Education is responsible for early childhood education and care (ECEC) in the state. This includes monitoring and regulating early childhood education and care services, as well as providing a framework for quality improvement through the National Quality Framework (NQF).
The NQF is a national approach to regulation, assessment and quality improvement for ECEC. All early childhood education and care services in Australia must meet the National Quality Standard, which is based on the four quality areas of:
- Safe
- Secure
- Nurturing
- Effective
The Role of Educators in Early Childhood Education
Educators in early childhood education centres have one of the most important jobs there is: laying the foundation for a child’s education and future discovery. But early childhood education is about more than academics. ECE educators help children develop essential social, emotional and cognitive skills that will serve them for the rest of their lives.
They provide essential social and emotional support to young children and their families.
So what’s the difference between child care and early childhood education? Child care is important, but early childhood education is essential for children’s learning and development.
Professional Development and Training for Child Care Providers
While both child care and early childhood education professionals need to have a foundation in child development and instructional strategies, early childhood education centres place a higher priority on educational experiences for the children in their care. This focus on educational experiences for young children means that early childhood education organisations typically provide more opportunities for their educators to participate in training and professional development than child care centres.
Benefits of Early Childhood Education for Children & Parents
When it comes to benefits, there are plenty. For children, early childhood education has been shown to improve school performance and reduce the likelihood of being held back from school or attending and being underprepared and just not ready. ECE centres have also been linked with better health outcomes, both physical and mental.
And it’s not just kids who benefit—parents do too. Early childhood education can give parents the peace of mind that their children are being cared for in a safe and nurturing environment while they are at work. And since parents who are able to work are more likely to be employed and earn higher wages, ECE can help break cycles of economic struggles.
Conclusion
So, what’s the difference?
In Australia, child care/day care services are just as the title states, ‘care’. They tend to your child’s basic needs and provide an environment for your child to explore and develop social skills in a safe settings.
Early childhood education, is delivered in a preschool setting, and is designed to prepare children for their formal schooling. They have a more structured daily routie and prepare children socially and mentally for schooling life.
There are some overlap between the two services, and many child care centres also offer early childhood education. However, it is important to understand the distinction, so that you can make the best choice for your child.
