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Infant & Toddler Group Care

Small Groups

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Learning Objectives:Participants will be able to:

• Describe PITC’s definition of small groups, including the recommended group size for each age of infancy, and the amount of space for each age group.

• Discuss the positive impacts on children and adults when infants are cared for in large groups.

• Identify ways in which small group size can be achieved and intimacy can be increased.

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Revisiting the PITC Philosophy:

• Research indicates that infants need responsive care provided in close, caring relationships for optimal development in all learning domains.

• The PITC six essential policies support the development of warm, nurturing relationships between infants and a limited number of caregivers in an intimate setting.

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Reflection

How do you feel after you have spent several hours in a very large group or crowd? For example, how do you feel after attending a festival, concert, sports event at a very large venue for several hours?

Now reflect on how an infant or toddler might feel when he/she spends many hours a day in a large group in child care.

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PITC Essential Policies and Practices

Small Group Sizes

Primary Care

Continuity of Care

Individualized/Personalized Care

Inclusion of Infants with Disabilities and Other Special Needs

Cultural Responsiveness

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“Move About” Activity

What are the benefits to having small groups?

• For the child?

• For the family?

• For the teachers?

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Why is caring for infants in small groups so important?

• Small groups support development of trusting relationships between infants, family members and teachers.

• Small groups protect infants from over-stimulation, particularly high and constant noise. The younger the infant, the smaller the group needs to be.

• Small group size reduces stress and fatigue for infants and care teachers.

• Small groups decrease the size of the germ pool — fewer illnesses among staff, infants/toddlers and family members.

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PITC’s Definition of Small Groups

Ideally, a small group of infants/toddlers with their primary and secondary care teachers have fully self-contained indoor and outdoor spaces where the group does not come into contact with other children or adults during the time they are in care each day.

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PITC Recommended Group Size, Ratios & Minimum Space

Same-Age Groups

Age Total Group Size Square Feet/Group

Adult/Child Ratios

Birth to 8 Months

6 350 1:3

6 to 18 Months 9 500 1:3

16 to 36 Months

12 600 1:4Mixed-Age Groups — Early Head Start, Family Child Care

Age Total Group Size

Square Feet/Group

Adult/Child Ratios

Birth to 36 Months

8 600 1:4

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Together in Care: Small Groups

Together in Care: Meeting the Intimacy Needs of Infants and Toddlers in Groups, 1992.

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Activity: Dyad or Small Group Discussion

• Reflect on and discuss how close your program is to meeting PITC’s definition of small groups.

• What are your program’s strengths related to small groups?

• What are your program’s challenges in ensuring small groups both indoors and outdoors?

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Brain Storming:

What can we do to build on our strengths and reduce or eliminate our challenges to small groups?

• Short Term (next 3 months)

• Medium Term (next 1-2 years)

• Long Term (in 5 years)

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Revisit Learning Objectives for Small Groups:Participants will be able to:

• Describe PITC’s definition of small groups, including the recommended group size for each age of infancy, and the amount of space for each age group.

• Discuss the positive impacts on children and adults when infants are cared for in large groups.

• Identify ways in which small group size can be achieved and intimacy can be increased.