Not all parents are lucky enough to have a ready and willing relative to take on childcare full time, but according to the latest research, children who are looked after by a family member have better language skills by the age of three.
Kids who are looked after in a creche setting benefit in different ways however, and tend to have better motor skills and hand-eye co-ordination than children who are cared for by relatives.
According to the latest study, commissioned by Túsla - the Child and Family Agency, and the Irish Research Council, being cared for by a relative was the only type of childcare arrangement to have a positive influence on cognitive development.
The research, based on data from the national longitudinal study Growing Up in Ireland, also revealed that other elements, including family income, parental education level and stress levels had a bigger impact on a child's development than their childcare arrangements.
