Most working parents agree that a home daycare center is a great childcare solution.
A good home daycare can offer a child similar love and care to what they would experience at their own home.
The business of childcare is booming across the United States and Europe. Contributing factors include the empowerment of women, high divorce rates and a tough economy which requires both parents to go out to work in order to support the family.
Whatever the reasons, home daycare is currently a great option for making money and is especially good for parents who would like to stay at home with their own children as they can be part of the home daycare too.
Before getting started, however, you need to make sure that you understand the market. Obviously a love for children is essential, but you also need to make sure you treat it like a proper business that makes profit and can sustain itself and grow.
It’s crucial to undertake thorough research into the child care services available in your area. Asses the competition by looking into nearby day care centers, then calculate the profit potential, find out what parents are looking for and think about the best way to market yourself.
You’ll then need to consider start-up costs, funding sources, daily running costs, policies and procedures, government licensing, any grants and/or subsidies that may be available and your prices.
The location and the size of your home daycare is important with regards to the wants and needs of your market and yourself.
Normally a home daycare would be run from your own home, but you may have some other location available that you prefer.
You may even want to take over an existing daycare center which should be easier to get going in since you should have existing clients, although it will be more expensive.
The best location would be in a wealthy or moderate income neighborhood which should attract a good crowd. It’s essential to get the building assessed for fire safety as well as pool safety if you have or plan to get a pool.
A home daycare is a professional business and as such there will be legal requirements, particularly as you’re dealing with young children.
Before getting started you will need a license for your home daycare and you will need to have your building inspected to make sure it complies.
Different states have different legal codes and state zoning home daycare regulations that you’re required to meet. Your home daycare must keep certain records that need to be updated regularly.
In some states you’ll be expected to take out business insurance for your home daycare. The location of your home daycare and your books may have to submit to unannounced inspections twice in a year. Prepare yourself by finding out what rules apply to your state.
Wherever you live in the US, the law states that all suspected child abuse must be reported to your state authority, regardless of where the abuse is thought to have occurred. The guidelines for child safety must be adhered to stringently.
To setup your home daycare you’ll need to be a qualified care provider, or employ someone who is, possibly helpers depending on how many children you’re taking care of, equipment, supplies, suitable books, toys and more.
When you’ve got everything ready to go, you’ll need to start advertising your home daycare. Simple word-of-mouth advertising can be quick and effective, or you can introduce yourself through community work projects.
You can get brochures, catalogs, fliers and business cards printed to get yourself established and help with marketing.
You should also keep important information about your home daycare close by. This should include opening hours and holidays, pick-up and drop-off procedure, payment policy, hygiene procedures, immunization and illness policy, absentee notice, discipline management, meals and menu information, etc. You could get an inquiry at any time.
Getting everything set up for your home daycare is easier the running it. If it’s something you really want to do, though, and you have the right infrastructure and the methodology, it can be a profitable and rewarding business.
The first thing to do is to get in touch with a local government consulting agencies that can advise you on what you need to do to set up a home daycare in your area.
P.S. Thousands of future or current home daycare providers just like you have already signed up to my “How To Start A Home Daycare” newsletter. It’s getting a bit overwhelming and I may cap signups soon, but for the time being you can still join. Don’t worry, it’s free. All you have to do is enter your name and e-mail below:
