Child Care Providers: Safe Child-Staff Ratio and Group Size
Topic Overview
The number of children per adult care provider is one thing that reflects the quality and safety of a child care setting. Total group size also matters. The guidelines for these factors vary by the child's age. They also vary by the type and size of the child care center.
The guidelines for group child care centers are shown in the table.footnote 1
Children's ages | Maximum child-to-staff ratio | Maximum group size |
---|---|---|
12 months or younger | 3 to 1 | 6 |
13 to 35 months | 4 to 1 | 8 |
3 years | 7 to 1 | 14 |
4 years | 8 to 1 | 16 |
5 years | 8 to 1 | 16 |
6 to 8 years | 10 to 1 | 20 |
9 to 12 years | 12 to 1 | 24 |
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ByHealthwise Staff
Primary Medical Reviewer John Pope, MD - Pediatrics
Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine
Current as ofMay 4, 2017
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Current as of: May 4, 2017
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review: John Pope, MD - Pediatrics & Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine