She is an underwriting assistant at AIG, a single mom and struggling to pay the bills.

In order to work, Tia Hartmann placed her 17-month-old daughter Willow in the caring hands of a woman who has been looking after children for twenty years.

Now, though Tia has to find somewhere for her daughter to go as the child care provider was given a Government letter ordering her to take care of only three children or face closure.

The debate over child care is an issue that has recently received attention after the conviction of babysitter Betty Jean Steede for breaking La'Naiye Simmons' leg when he was only five months old.

Safety of care providers with more than three children in their homes is one side of the issue. On the other are the parents struggling to find someone to care for their children and affordability.

Government promised free child care in their election promises and recent meetings of the babysitters and officials have been held to come to find a way to make it work.

Legislation in the form of the Children's Act 1998 has made it illegal to take care of more than three children and to be an unregistered provider for the past ten years.

That, however, does not lessen Tia's struggle which means her daughter could be without her babysitter who she has grown attached to her babysitter over the last year.

She said: "She has been in her care for almost a year now. She's very comfortable there and the care giver is really nice. I have to go away on business and she keeps her over night.

"It's nice to have someone like her. She's a registered child care provider and has been registered for 20 years. She had five children as well as my daughter. She takes really good care of her."

The babysitter, who did not wish to be named, charges only $150 a week, which will easily rise to anywhere between $200 and $225 when she has to cut back to three children.

That, says Tia, is too much and she's not sure on top of rent and other child care expenses whether she will be able to afford it - but she is lucky.

Unlike some other single mothers on the Island, she has a good job that pays her enough right now to cover what she needs.

She understands the Government's argument, but also thinks the law only hurts the good babysitters and does nothing for the bad.

"I could afford the increase but I am lucky. I have a good job. It would cut down what stuff I need to buy, but other single mothers and mothers cannot.

"If I had to pay $900 a month that's a lot of money. I am already having problems. I do see the point in the law but I think you are trying everyone with the same brush. Some with five kids are giving them what they need."

The Government, however, feels that not only is three there for safety concerns, but that it also has to do with the child development.

Chief Environmental Health Officer, David Kendell said he understood where mothers and parents were coming from, but that they were only trying to look out for the child's best interest.

He said: "We have people claiming to look after six infants, but you cannot give the physical or the maternal care they need.

"The law is child centric."

And while he understands the need for cheap day care, he encouraged parents to start looking for help the minute they find out they are pregnant.

If the child care providers register with the Ministry of Health, then parents will also be able to call the Ministry for help locating a babysitter.