Much ink has been spilled about the benefits of early daycare. As most articles on the subject point out ‘studies have shown’ that early daycare can make a real difference in the lives of young people. While few who know anything about early daycare and its beneficial effects would quibble with such claims there are those who ask the question “Which studies are you referring to?” In the hope of clearing up any lingering doubts we’re going to use this post to cite several of those previously mysterious ‘studies’ that have found early daycare to be beneficial.
The Benefits of Early Daycare in Richmond Hill and the Studies to Back it Up
Parents are protective of their kids and want only the best for them so when writers start throwing around claims about the benefits of early daycare in Richmond Hill or elsewhere some parents are naturally sceptical. We understand this and so here is what 3 actual studies have to say about the benefits of early daycare.
- Study 1: Dr. Arthur Reynolds and his colleagues at the University of Minnesota conducted a 25 year study that followed more than 1,000 participants from their preschool years into young adulthood. Reynolds and his colleagues found that study participants who attended daycare programs eventually found better jobs, suffered less drug and alcohol abuse and had fewer run-ins with the law than kids who didn’t attend daycare. They see a direct correlation between the interpersonal and intellectual foundation built in preschool programs and the children’s later ability to navigate challenging situations.
- Study 2: The Abecedarian Project was conceived and run by the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute and followed poor children in North Carolina from shortly after birth up through the age of 30. The study divided participants into 2 groups, one which was given high-quality early daycare and preschool and the other which was not. By the age of 30 participants who were provided early daycare were nearly 5 times more likely to earn a college degree than the children who did not receive the early intervention. Incomes were also higher for the daycare group and they were far more likely to have steady employment.
- Study 3: An ongoing study run by James Griffin of the Institute of Child Health at the US National Institutes of Health has shown that children who received high-quality childcare in their preschool years demonstrated higher cognitive and academic achievement levels as teenagers. The children who received early years daycare were also less likely to act out than children who did not and they also possessed stronger interpersonal skills that serve them well later in life.
As these important studies demonstrate the debate over the value of early daycare is, for all intents and purposes, over. If you’re interested in high quality home daycare in Richmond Hill contact J&F Home Child Care Services. Our experience providing daycare to Richmond Hill families is second to none and can help get your child off on the right foot in life.
