### Problem
>The task of looking after little children is a much deeper and more fundamental social issue than the phrases “babysitting” and “child care” suggest.

### Solution
>In every neighborhood, build a children’s home—a second home for children—a large rambling house or workplace—a place where children can stay for an hour or two, or for a week. At least one of the people who run it must live on the premises; it must be open 24 hours a day; open to children of all ages; and it must be clear, from the way that it is run, that it is a second family for the children—not just a place where baby-sitting is available.

### Related Patterns
... within each neighborhood there are hundreds of children. The children, especially the young ones, are helped in their relation to the world by the patterns [[Children in the City (57)]] and [[Connected Play (68)]]. However, these very general provisions in the form of public land need to be supported by some kind of communal place, where they can stay without their parents for a few hours, or a few days, according to necessity. This pattern is a part of the [[Network of Learning (18)]] for the youngest children.

Treat the building as a collection of small connected buildings - [[Building Complex (95)]]; lay an important neighborhood path right through the building, so that children who are not a part of the school can see and get to know it by meeting the children who are - [[Building Thoroughfare (101)]] attach it to the local [[Adventure Playground (73)]] ; make the teachers' house an integral part of the interior - [[Your Own Home (79)]]; and treat the common space itself as the hearth of a larger family - [[The Family (75)]], [[Common Areas at the Heart (129)]].

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> [!cite]- Alexander, Christopher. _A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, Construction_. Oxford University Press, 1977, p. 426.
> #APL/confidence/medium
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> #APL/Town-Patterns/Social-Institutions---Workgroups