Once paternity and maternity leave has ended, families usually face the first dilemma regarding the education of their children: which childcare center should I take them to? Work obligations encourage the search for a safe and stimulating environment for the care and development of children. Another advantage for the little ones is the contact with other children, something they may not be able to do if they were left in the care of their grandparents or a baby-sitter. The alternatives are then reduced to opting for a daycare or a nursery school, but what are their differences?
The proximity of home or office, the ratio of children or the design of the facilities are factors that can influence you when choosing a children's center. However, it is the age of the children, the educational objectives or the type of staff that cares for them that differentiate a daycare from a nursery school. It should be noted that both options are not exclusive: a child can first go to a daycare center and then to a nursery school if the family circumstances or educational needs change.
In the past, daycare centers were centers where children were 'kept' while their parents worked. This continues to be the case in some ways. While daycare centers ensure basic attention and care for children, nursery schools provide a more structured educational approach. However, both types of entities try to offer a stimulating environment and activities aimed at the cognitive, emotional and social development of children.
The nurseries welcome children from a few months old to three years old. On the other hand, nursery schools admit children up to six years old, in order to guarantee a smoother transition to primary education. There is a trend of change because, although these centers have traditionally been private, more and more Autonomous Communities are trying to extend free education from 0 to 3 years.
Daycare workers must have the Early Childhood Education Assistant qualification. The role of these professionals focuses on the physical and emotional care of children. On the other hand, in nursery schools there is at least one Teacher and in each classroom there is an Early Childhood Education Technician, qualified graduates to teach and address specific educational needs. Pedagogues are another common profile.
Daycare centers are much more flexible centers that adapt to the needs of parents in terms of schedules and duration. In contrast, the operation of a nursery school is more similar to that of a school day. The Early Childhood Education Teacher is responsible for the educational project, which consists of specific educational, regulatory and organizational objectives and principles. This technical document, which you should be interested in before enrolling your child, is the one that consequently guides the center's program of educational, recreational and rest activities. All children share a specific schedule and habits to promote discipline and thus prepare them for formal education.
