How to Open a Home Daycare in California

Opening a home daycare in California can be a daunting, yet exciting, business venture. Home daycares are great businesses for stay at home parents, grandparents, and even retirees. The work can be very challenging, and the hours are generally long, but the ability to work from home, spend time with children and provide families with quality child care can be very rewarding. Anyone who is considering opening a home daycare must attend an orientation. At the orientation there will be a plethora of information and paperwork given out. The following information serves as an outline of what must be done to open a home daycare in the state of California. The actual process is very involved and can be costly, depending on where you are located, how many background checks you have to run, the amount of home improvements that must be made and how much you choose to spend on equipment and toys.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A home or apartment
• TB clearance
• CPR and First Aid training
• Fire extinguisher
• At least one smoke detector
• Money to pay for fees and applications
• Liability insurance
• Safe and non-toxic toys, books, and children’s equipment and items (diapers, cribs, etc.)
• Food for breakfast, lunch, and snacks
• Cleaning supplies

1. Register for the Family Child Care Home License orientation that covers the geographical area in which you will run the home daycare. You will want to refer to the California Department of Social Services website to find the listing of orientation locations and dates. Payments for the orientation must be mailed via USPS, using a check, money order, or cashier's check.

2. Locate and print the Family Child Care Home Regulations Highlights. Read this over and understand it before you attend orientation. Take the form with you to the orientation.

3. Locate and print the License Application and Instructions for Family Child Care Homes. This can be found on the Department of Social Services website as well. Click on each link in the PDF and complete and print the required forms, which include: an application for a family child care home license; list of current children in your home; criminal record statement; emergency care and disaster plan; statement acknowledging requirement to report suspected child abuse; facility sketch (floor plan and yard); pre-licensing guide.

4. Attend the Family Child Care Home License orientation in your community. Arrive on time, and better yet, arrive early, as late arrivals may be turned away.

5. Get a TB test done and make copies of your results.

6. Attend the 15 hours of Health Practices Training, which is explained in detail at the orientation. The speakers at the orientation will tell you where you can go to get the training completed.

7. Schedule and pass a home inspection.

8. Send in the completed application packet, and wait for fingerprinting information to be sent to you. Once you receive the go ahead and the Livescan forms, pay the fee and have the fingerprinting done. Any adults in your home over the age of 18 need to be fingerprinted as well. They must pass the background check if they are going to be in the house during daycare business hours.

9. Receive your approval to open a family daycare, and post your license in the entryway of your home for guests to see as they arrive.

10. Speak with your insurance agent about what type of liability insurance you should have for your business.

11. Apply for a food program to help reduce the amount of money that you spend each month on food for the children in your daycare.

12. Advertise your home daycare. Use local referral sites, the newspaper or community paper and word of mouth.

13. Purchase toys, books, play equipment, and necessary child care items as needed. Be sure that the items you buy are non-toxic and child friendly.

14. Keep detailed records of expenses and money received. At orientation you will be provided with more information about how to keep records if you are not already familiar with general bookkeeping practices.

Tips & Warnings

• If you rent your home, you must provide your landlord with a notice stating that you will be running a daycare out of the home. You have rights as a renter, and at orientation will be provided with information about how to present the letter as well as your rights to run a business from your rental home.
• Do not attempt to operate a home day car without a license. If you are providing care for more than one child from a family that is not related to you, you can be fined per day that you provide care.

Resources

• Beanstalk Childcare Food Program