Information on Starting Your Own Day Care Center

Starting a day care requires paperwork.

There are many things to take into consideration when starting a day care center. As a business, the day care center needs to be able to run efficiently and successfully. As a child care provider it also must provide a safe and nurturing environment. Any individual wishing to open a day care center must be dedicated to providing the best care possible and willing to undertake the numerous responsibilities that come with operating this type of facility.

State Laws and Regulations

Perhaps the most vital aspect of starting a day care center is ensuring that the laws and regulations of the state are met. Every state has a designated department that handles the licensing and certification of child care facilities, and the individual laws and regulations vary from state to state. There are basic concepts, however, that any new day care facility will face. Every state requires some form of licensing, certification and registration for the facility to legally operate. This process requires an application and various inspections, forms and background checks. It is therefore critical for an individual to contact the designated department within the state that oversees licensing and certification of child care facilities and obtain a copy of the state's laws and regulations as well as all applications and forms required.

Facility

Choosing a facility would seem like an easy task, however, there are some things to consider when choosing where the daycare center will be operated from. The facility must meet the health and safety standards of the state and be able to pass inspection. This includes having an adequate amount of room for the number of children the day care center will need to accommodate, as well as bathrooms, play areas, a kitchen and storage. Other things to consider when choosing a location are outside play areas, handicap accessibility, parking, convenient location for parents and the cost of rent and utilities.

Paperwork

Day care facilities must keep detailed and current records on all students and staff, including volunteers for licensing purposes. Regardless of state, renewing a license and maintaining a license will, at some point, require that these records be made available to an agent of the state. It is important to plan ahead when starting a day care center and ensure that these records will be filed and ready when needed. Organizing a file system for these records as well as the inspection certificates, meal plans, consent forms, activity schedules and any other documents required by the state will save time and help keep everything running smoothly even in the event of an unscheduled check from the state.

Inspections

All child care facilities are subject to inspections, though location will determine the exact types of inspections required. Operators should know what inspections are required by the state, county and city, and have the inspections scheduled at the earliest opportunity. Most states will not issue a license to a facility until all inspections have been completed and passed. If the facility fails an inspection and time allows, needed corrections or repairs can be made and a passing inspection awarded in time to allow the facility to receive its license. Common inspections include fire inspections, health/sanitation inspections, and inspections from the state department issuing the license.

Staff

Running a day care center requires a dependable and well-trained staff to be successful. When employing staff, it is important to consider how many staff members will be needed, the requirements the state has for the staff, and factors such as pay, hours, experience and training. Everyone working in a child care facility must be able to pass a criminal background check and typically are required to pass health screenings. Training varies widely from state to state; however, it is in the best interest of the day care center to ensure that all staff have been trained in CPR and first aid.

Adevertising

Advertising is essential for any business, and a day care center is a business. Many day cares do not find it necessary to spend very much on advertising to fill all the available placements for children. Word-of-mouth is highly useful in the child care business. However, fliers, newspaper ads and signs can be used to advertise a new daycare center. Some may find it helpful to host an open house where parents can come in, look around, meet the staff, get information and even enroll their children.

References

• ChildCare: Starting a Day Care