Family and Child Welfare

Family and Child Welfare 3 (3+0)

Lesson 32 : Day Care Center- Types and Requirements

Nursery School

The pre-school children in the age group 3-6 years need proper services which will help them to

1. learn group living,
2. prepare themselves for going to school,
3. parti­cipate in secondary groups of similar age.

There are different names given to this service in different countries. In India they are known as nursery schools, with emphasis on education which makes it less of a welfare service although educational authorities have not yet been able to accept it as a part of their responsibility. In western countries, these are known as 'day care centers’ with emphasis on the following two aspects:

1. Exploration, stimulation and the advancement of the child's capacities.
2. His gradual adaptation to group living and society's demands.

Programme:
Every day-nursery should have a planned programme of educational and recreational opportunities for constructive learning through the use of various equipment. Education is basic to all types of day care and includes learning through play and informal activity. A child-centered programme is planned to create an environment which promotes emotional, physical and social development of the individual child. A good nursery centre should contribute to the education of the young children by

1. Encouraging desirable healthy habits and attitudes, reasonable regularity in attendance and programmes.
2. Providing proper space with adequate equipment and play material and helping children to learn to use them credit­ably and constructively with proper balance between quiet and active play and outdoor and indoor activities.
3. Training them to take care of themselves.
4. Fostering intellectual interests through opportunities, to explore, investigate and experiment.
5. Encouraging them to make and carry out plans, to work out solutions to problems and to develop competence and find satisfaction in their work and achievement.
6. Creating conditions for stimulating friendly atmos­phere.
7. Strengthening self-respect. self-confidence and enabl­ing them to learn, to live in a democracy, developing respect for and consideration of others.
8. Helping them to develop healthy relationship with other children and adults so as to learn group living.
9. Helping their physical growth by proper medical checkup, balanced meals, and meeting physical needs.