People don't think enough about early child care.  Quaility care at a young age can have a big impact on the child's future success.
I agree my kids have been in daycare from 2 months and up and once my oldest got age 2 I changed her to a private christian academy education is so important. 
Typically children are taken care of by parents or siblings, but daycare is very popular in the U.S.
It became popular because of the fact parents have to go to work the rates are sky high as well. 
Oh yeah, day care is basically the term that describes that.  it's a service usually during specific hours for while the parents are at work.
You have a few that services 24 hour but rarely, I think tat's what come into play also in child care as you mentioned earlier where parents lack but some can't afford that fee or it doesn't fit their schedule.
It's really tough when people can't afford daycare, and they're left with the double burden of working to earn money, but are stuck with domestic labor too, like child raising.