Each day in the United States, millions of children, ranging from infants to preteens, are in the care of someone who isn't their parent. Child care is no longer a luxury; it is a necessity when two incomes are needed for families to make ends meet. Parents have a variety of options to choose from for child care. Their decision is influenced by cost, convenience, and what they and the child feel comfortable with. They can select from child care in a home setting or out-of-home day care.

The history of the daytime care of infants and young children, also known as the day nursery, day-care center, or nursery school, dates back to 1840 in France with the use of institutions called the creáche (French for "crib"). The establishment of child care institutions in most European cities and industrial centers took place during the second...