Together in Care
Meeting the Intimacy Needs of Infants and
Toddlers in Groups
Together in Care
Three program policies that lead to responsive,
relationship-based care:
• Primary Caregiver Assignments
• Small Groups
• Continuity of Care
Why Primary Care?
• The development of a loving
relationship between a child
and caregiver is at the heart of
a high quality infant care.
• Infants thrive when they share
a strong bond with a person
who cares for them day after
day.
What is Primary Care?
Each child is assigned to one caregiver who is
principally responsible for that child’s care.
Primary care is not-exclusive care. Other
caregiving team members provide support
when needed.
Primary Care:
• Works best when caregivers function as a
team.
• The primary caregiver does most of the
caregiving routines & communicates with the
parents.
• Other team members step in when the
primary caregiver is busy with another child
or when the primary caregiver is out of the
room.
Benefits of Primary Care:
• Primary care benefit both children and
caregivers.
• The deeper the relationship between
caregiver and child, the more enjoyable their
time together will be.
Small Groups:
• Simply stated, the total number of children in one
caregiving space should be limited.
• Recommended group sizes:
– young infants groups should not exceed 6
– mobile infant groups should not exceed 9
– toddler groups should not exceed 12.
Small Groups Promote:
• Personal contact between children.
• Quiet exploration and one-to-one attention
from a caregiver.
• Children being able to focus because there
are fewer distractions.
• Caregiver flexibility to manage the needs of
all children.
Group Sizes
(same-age groups)
Age
Ratio
Total
Sq. Feet
0-8
1:3
6
350
8-18
1:3
9
500
18:36
1:4
12
600
Mixed-Age Group Size
Age
Ratio
0-36
1:4*
Group Size
8
Sq. Feet
600
* Of the four infants assigned to a caregiver, only
two should be under 24 months of age.
A critical aspect
In child care, much more attention has been
given to ratios than to group size or space
requirements, but appropriate ratios alone will
not ensure quality.
Strategies to Support Small Groups
• Redesigning space to give small groups of
children their own space while still sharing
plumbing with another group.
• Build 4-6 foot walls to divide a large room into
smaller rooms.
• Using furniture or room dividers to keep
children in separate small groups.
More Strategies…
• Use small tables at mealtimes with three or
four seated with one caregiver.
• Follow individual schedules.
• Use developmental barriers to divide up
outdoor areas.
Continuity of Care
“Whatever stage the child is in is important and
exciting. If caregivers follow a child from the
beginning to the time the child leaves the
child care program, the job is much more
complete, both for themselves and for the
child.” - Yolanda Torres
Continuity of Care
• With continuity of care, the child stays with
the same caregiver and peer group for the
first three years or the full time the child is
enrolled in the program.
• Continuity allows children to experience a
stable, long-term relationship not only with
their caregiver but also with each other.
Continuity of Care
• Requires planning and can be implemented
in three possible ways:



Same Age Continuity
Mixed Age Continuity
Family Child Care
Management Strategies:
• Schedule overlapping shifts in order for
caregivers to communicate with each other.
• Organize staff schedules to allow primary
caregivers to meet with parents and each
other on a regular basis.
• Building in time for caregivers to prepare and
plan their work with children.
The combination of…
“… primary care, small groups, and continuity of
care will go a long way toward making child
care the intimate place it should be.”