<P> The day care industry is a continuum from personal parental care to large, regulated institutions . Some childminders care for children from several families at the same time, either in their own home (commonly known as "family day care" in Australia) or in a specialized child care facility . Some employers provide nursery provisions for their employees at or near the place of employment . For - profit day care corporations often exist where the market is sufficiently large or there are government subsidies . Research shows that not - for - profits are much more likely to produce the high quality environments in which children thrive ." Local governments, often municipalities, may operate non-profit day care centers . For all providers, the largest expense is labor . Local legislation may regulate the operation of daycare centers, affecting staffing requirements . In Canada, the workforce is predominantly female (95%) and low paid, averaging only 60% of average workforce wage . Some jurisdictions require licensing or certification . Legislation may specify details of the physical facilities (washroom, eating, sleeping, lighting levels, etc .). </P> <P> Independent studies suggest that good daycare is not harmful . In some cases, good daycare can provide different experiences than parental care does, especially when children reach two and are ready to interact with other children . Children in higher quality childcare had somewhat better language and cognitive development during the first 41⁄2 years of life than those in lower quality care . </P> <P> Learning Stories are documents that are used by caregivers and educators in childcare settings . They use a storytelling format instead of a traditional' observation' report to document the different ways that young children learn, and capture the moment in greater detail and provide parents with a greater insight into the events that occur in their child's time in childcare . </P> <P> What they include </P>

What is the definition of the childcare industry