The Insanity of Child Care Ratios

According to the American Public Health Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, the following child-to-staff ratios are recommended for the various age groups: 3:1 for ages 0-24 months, 4:1 for ages 25-30 months, 5:1 for ages 31-35 months, 7:1 for ages 3 years and up, and 8:1 for ages 4to 6 years. Unfortunately, many child care centers in various states fail to follow these recommended standards. As a former child care worker, I guarantee that if every daycare were to adhere to these standards, it would be a teacher's as well as a parent's dream come true. Studies have shown that young children in a smaller group setting have a more positive experience in child care. In addition, the teachers in these situations are much more relaxed and happy, which thus leads to overall positive employee morale and lower turnover.

So why do many states fail to follow these standards? It all comes down to one issue: money. If daycare centers were to miraculously follow the expert guidelines, this would mean they would have to hire more teachers for children and thus increase their labor costs, leaving less money in their pockets for profit and other forseen expenses. Aren't the children the most important, though? Shouldn't the needs of the children be first and foremost a top priority? One would tend to think so. It's no wonder daycare has such a high turnover and many parents are afraid to turn their most precious assets over to someone else.

My home state of Indiana adheres to the following ratios, as mandated by the state: 4:1 for infants 6 weeks to 1 year, 5:1 for ages 1 and 2 years, 1:10 for ages 3, 1:12 for ages 4, and 1:15 for ages 5. I can honestly tell you that these numbers are too high, especially for the young toddlers and the 3-year-olds. One particular corporate center follows these guidelines to the book. Even in the instance that a particular child isn't fully potty-trained by the time he or she turns 3, that child is still put in the 3-year-old class. Therefore, it is the duty of the teacher in that classroom to assist with pull-up and/or diaper changes while monitoring nine other three-year-olds at the same time. This is extremely stressful, especially when the other children choose to run around and horseplay while the teacher is assisting with wiping someone else's bottom. Teachers are only human, and it's only possible to do so much at one time, especially when most of they only have two arms and two legs. The daycare doesn't have mercy on the ones who don't reach potty genius ability. They still stick them in the three-year-old room regardless.

What's worse is having five toddlers ages one and up in a room with only one teacher. I have been in this situation and it's comparable to boot camp. Many of these young children haven't reached full walking potential yet and although I try to help them, I have four other sweet and innocent toddlers with situations of their own, too. For example, there's a good chance of someone's diaper needing to be changed, while another may be crying and need comforted. Some toddlers are known for their climbing ability which can potential cause them to fall if one isn't quick to prevent them from doing so. It is extremely hard to form a structured environment because many of them don't understand or are just too busy and curious and thus want to do their own exploring. When the lunch cart comes, there nearly always is at least one or two curious little boys or girls who want to try to climb on the cart or reach up and get their own plate of food. So, I would try to seat the little ones while gently discouraging the curious ones from upsetting the cart. At the same time, I would have another child wanting to climb on top of the table! I'm in great shape and exercise on a regular basis, but it was still physically impossible to manage five young toddlers at the same time. Needless to say, I was able to take off those last ten post-pregnancy pounds in two months. So the good thing is that it was a great weight loss plan, but I was too physically, mentally, and emotionally tired to enjoy my own kids.

The two child care centers where I was employed did follow the Indiana Licensing Standards to the hilt, but sometimes they would try to stick an extra child in the room with me. Needless to say, I protested and called them on their out of ratio limitations, but they would simply tell me, "You're only one over." I would respond that it's one too many and they needed to bring another teacher in the room if they refused to adhere to the mandated numbers. In another franchise operated daycare, not only was I occassionally one child over ratio, but during peak times in the morning when of parents dropped off their 3-year-old children in the mornings, breakfast would arrive. The other teacher wasn't scheduled to arrive until later in the morning, so I was expected to set up for breakfast, sign in children as they arrive, greet parents and children, and comfort the occassional crying child all at the same time. This of course rendered in chaosas the kitchen worker berated me if I didn't help her out, but the directors didn't seem to care and thought I should just be able to handle the situation without outside help.

What's more astounding is that many states have even higher ratios than Indiana. I was absolutely floored to discover this. Texas has one of the highest, if not the absolute highest, child-to-staff ratios among the other states. The ratios are: 4:1 for ages 6 weeks, then jumps to 9:1 for ages 18 months, 13:1 for ages 27 months, 17:1 for ages 3 years, and 20:1 for ages 4 years. Think about this. Can you imagine being in a room with 17 three-year-olds? How about trying to potty train anywhere from 9 to 13 young toddlers? Idaho is a state which has me scratching my head, and I think there's a reason it's referred to as the land of potatoes. Their state mandated ratio is 1:12 for all ages! I'm not kidding, this goes for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. Obviously the people who mandate these standards have never set foot in a child's classroom to know what the true standards should be!

New York seems to be the state that adheres the most closely to the recommended standards: 4:1 for ages 6 weeks to 18 months, 1:4 or 1:5 for ages 18 months to 3 years, 1:6 or 1:7 for ages 3 years, 1:7 or 1:8 for ages 4 years, and 1:8 or 1:9 for ages 5 years. I am convinced that these standards were actually written by people who have been in the classroom and experienced it themselves. If every child care center were to adhere to these admirable standards, children, teachers, and parents alike would be much happier and much more at ease.

Federal Government seriously needs to step in and make changes regarding these standards, perhaps even mandating national child-to-staff ratios. It is the safety and well-being of our children that come first and foremost. Nothing in this world is more precious than the future of our world, which is none other than our children. Therefore, their needs should come first. More funding perhaps for daycares needs to be a priority, otherwise our teachers will continue to be stressed and go elsewhere, and as a result our children will not get the attention that they so desperately need at a young age.