The meaning of the word "daycare" used to be straightforward - a place that cares for your child during the day while you're at work. Now the term also encompasses care during the evening and night hours. According to the Greater Minneapolis Day Care Association, of the 366 licensed childcare businesses in Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, and Scott Counties, seven provide 24-hour care.
One of these businesses is Agape 24 Hour Child Development Center, which has two locations in Minneapolis. Diane Thibodeaux, executive director of Agape, started the center in 1996 after working with victims of domestic violence at Oasis of Love, Inc. Thibodeaux says many parents need to take second or third jobs, or need 24-hour childcare for any number of reasons. "We have a variety of families and a variety of nationalities," Thibodeaux says.
Alberta Smith, who founded Atrebla Early Learning Center in Minneapolis in 2002, also saw a need for a service past 6 p.m. after working in childcare for many years. "The more parents hear about it, the busier we are," she says.
Both Agape and Atrebla offer day, evening, and overnight shifts to accommodate night workers or parents whose hours change frequently. Agape cares for children from 6 weeks to 12 years old, and Atrebla serves children ages 16 months to 12 years. At both centers, children are served meals, and tutors are available to help with homework.
While 24-hour day care is a relatively new concept in the Twin Cities, Lynn Galle, director of the Shirley G. Moore Laboratory School at the University of Minnesota's Institute of Child Development, advises parents to approach this type of childcare with the same standards they have for 9-to-5 care.
"You want it to be high-quality, good for the child, and focused on the overall development of your child," Galle says. She recommends contacting a childcare referral service, such as the Greater Minneapolis Day Care Association or going to http://www.GMDCA.org for information.
