Types of Child Care options and the Importance of early Learning for Children
We provide resources and tools to assist you in your search for a quality program that fits your family’s needs. Here you will find the different types of child care available in your community.
Types of Care
FAMILY CHILD CARE HOMES
Family Child Care Home providers are for small groups of children in their own private home, such as a house, apartment, or condo unit. They may offer non-traditional hours of care.
GROUP CHILD CARE HOME
Group Child Care Home’s are owned by an individual who operate out of their own residential home. This program is larger and can enroll up to twelve children, with the owner being director/teacher and may have staff members qualified to work with the age of your child.
INFANT & TODDLER PROGRAM
An Infant-toddler center is a childcare center which offers programs only for children under 2 years old.
Preschool Program
A Preschool center is a childcare center which offers programs for children younger than 5 years old. They’re usually divided into groups or classrooms of similarly aged children. Preschool programs are required to be licensed by their State.
A+ Program
After-school programs are structured activities that usually are after school hours and offers activities to help children learn new skills. This program serves school age children over 5 years of age.
FFN – Family, Friend and Neighbor Care
Family, friend and neighbor child care also referred to as informal care, kith and kin care, relative care, and license exempt care. Usually in the child’s home with minimal – if any – regulation.
Early Head Start & Head Start
Early Head Start is a child development program that support the mental, social, and emotional development of children from low-income families from birth to age 3.
Head Start programs support children’s growth from age 3 to 5 years old through services that support early learning and development, health, and family well-being.
FCIL – Family & Child Interactive Learning
Family-Child Interaction learning is a program that provides services at various locations around the community. Usually, it consists of two-hour a day, twice a week program for children and families.
Public Pre Kindergarten Program
The EOEL Public Prekindergarten is provided in collaboration with the Hawai’i Department of Education. The program provides high-quality learning experiences that address children’s physical development and health, social and emotional development, cognition, language and literacy, and approaches to learning.