Open the app

Who provides care in the first years

Who looks after your child during the day in the early years: a parent at home, both parents working with paid care, or family helping.

Who should look after our child in the first years?

In short: Parents choose between 5 main approaches: One parent home long term; One parent home until school; Both part-time or staggered; Both full-time with paid care; Both full-time with family care. Evidence: your call. No outcome evidence picks a winner. Preference, culture, money and logistics decide. Best settled: during pregnancy.

Evidence
Your call
Best settled
During pregnancy
Part of
Learning & the wider world

Who provides care in the first years: what are the options?

Parents usually land on one of these 5 approaches.

  1. 1. One parent home long term

    One of you stays home for many years.

  2. 2. One parent home until school

    One of you stays home until the child starts school.

  3. 3. Both part-time or staggered

    You both work reduced or offset hours so one of you is always home.

  4. 4. Both full-time with paid care

    You both work full-time and pay for childcare.

  5. 5. Both full-time with family care

    You both work full-time and relatives look after the child.

Who provides care in the first years: what does the evidence say?

Your call. No outcome evidence picks a winner. Preference, culture, money and logistics decide.

Outcomes in high-quality day care and at home look very similar once family traits are controlled

Sources

What else is worth knowing?

This is one of the biggest decisions a couple makes, shaped by money, leave, careers and what each of you wants. Research does not show that one arrangement is best for children; the quality of care matters more. It is worth saying honestly what each of you hopes for.

Questions to ask each other

  • What do we each picture for the first years?
  • What does each option cost in money and in how we feel?
  • What would make us change the plan?

More in Childcare and early learning

First published 2026-10-03. Last updated 2026-10-05. General information, not medical advice.