Child Care Costs and Capacity

In the mid-Michigan area, including Ingham, Clinton, Eaton, and Shiawassee counties, there are 1,136 licensed child care programs.  These include Child Care Centers (264), Group Day Care Homes (264) and Family Day Care Homes (608).

 

These child care programs have a combined capacity of 22,778 spaces for children from infants through 12 year olds.  While there are more day care homes than centers, there is a much larger total capacity in child care centers.  Out of these 22,778 licensed child care spaces the percentages offered by type of facility are:  Child care centers 70%, Group Day Care Homes 14% and Family Day Care Homes 16%.

 

 

 

OYC also surveys the rates charged by child care programs. The following table summarizes the current costs for full-time care charged in mid-Michigan. These are combined averages for family and group homes. Centers more often charge higher fees for infants and toddlers than for preschool age children.

Licensed Child Care Fees

 

 

average costs

dollars/week

 

 

Range (dollars/week)

lowest – highest cost

 

Child care centers – infant

Child care centers – toddler

Child care centers – preschool

 

$166

$160

$135

 

$115 -  $224

$105 -  $224

  $75 -  $175

 

Family/group day care homes –  infant

“                                             “ – toddler

“                                             “ – preschool

 

$124

$120

$116

 

  $70 – $200

  $70 – $200

  $65 – $180

If you need help paying for the costs of licensed child care there are several programs that offer child care financial assistance.  For more information about these programs check out the financial help section of the OYC website.

The number of licensed child care programs has been very consistent over time. Five years ago the number and types of programs were essentially the same (within 5%). Based on census statistics, the population of preschoolers for the mid-Michigan area also has not changed dramatically. What has changed is the number of parents looking for child care and the types of care they are seeking. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics one of the fastest growing segments of the labor force is women with very young children (especially infants and toddlers). This means that although the total number of young children is not changing quickly, the number of children in child care (rather than in the parents’ care) is increasing.

rev. 8/06

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