Things You'll Need:
- Patience
- People Skills
- Licensing ($30)
- CPR (Free-$25)
- Books/Toys ($30)
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Step 1
The first and most important things is making sure this is really a line of work you want to get into. Working with children is very rewarding but can also be frustrating and exhausting at times. If you do not have children of your own, or have never worked with children in an all day setting, you should try to babysit some children to see if it is something you think you can do. There are fantastic benefits to running your own daycare, particularly if you have children of your own. You will be able to spend quality time with your child while watching other children and get paid for it.
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Step 2
Next you need to be sure you have a space that will be appropriate to use for a daycare. You can not have exposed wires, dangerous tools, chemicals, etc., around children. If you can have a safe space for the children to play and nap, then you are set to move on. (Most states have child advocacy agencies that will actually come out to your home/apartment and go through it with you and tell you what you need to change or update to be able to run a daycare in your home.)If you already have children, most of the time you can use things you already have in your home for the daycare, like toys and books. However, if you don't have children, you can buy very nice, inexpensive books and toys from resell shops and discount stores. It really does not take much more than you and your attention to keep a baby happy!
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Step 3
Now you need to decide how you are going to run your daycare. You need to have a handbook, and it should state what your hours of operation are; what you charge (whole day, 1/2 day, hourly?); what days you expect to take off and get paid for; what your policy on sickness is; what your policy on vacations is; what happens if a parent is late. You will also need to spell out what you will be providing and what they need to bring. For instance, they need to provide diapers, wipes and formula for their child. It is very important to have all of this written down, so the parent's know what they are getting from the start.
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Step 4
A very important step is getting first aid/CPR training. The cost of this varies from state to state, but is often offered for free at the YMCA or Red Cross.
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Step 5
You do not have to get a business license to run a home daycare, but I highly recommend it. Without a license, you will have to give out your social security number to any parent who wants to use a work sponsored savings plan to pay for daycare. With a business license, you give out your business license number instead. (In most states it is less than $30 to get one and it is a business expense that you can write off.)
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Step 6
The last thing you need to do is advertise. However, if you have already registered with a child advocacy agency like 4C, they will often advertise for you. Many stores and churches will allow you to put up fliers for your business as well. You will be amazed at how easy and fast people will seek you out once they find out you watch children. People always need reliable daycare!
Comments
emptypocketsfun said
on 6/29/2009 thanx
sharonq said
on 1/17/2009 very helpful info thank you!
sharonq said
on 1/17/2009 very helpful!
stefaniarusso said
on 9/2/2008 so helpful! thanks!
nolegirl said
on 5/10/2008 Now I know!