How to Open a Home Daycare in Ohio
A home daycare is a good option for a mother who wants to stay home with her young children. Regulations vary by state, and Ohio does not require you to become licensed if you care for six or fewer children in your home. A home daycare is not difficult to set up, but you may want to get accredited or certified so you can purchase liability insurance or receive child care funds from the state Department of Job and Family Services if you have clients who qualify for this benefit.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Determine how many children you will be able to care for. You must include your own children under the age of 6 in the count. If you want to care for six or fewer children, you can have only three children under the age of 2. If you want to care for seven to 12 children, you can only have four under the age of 2 and must apply for a Type A license through the Ohio state.
-
2
Prepare the areas the children will use as part of your childcare business. A quiet area for naps should be separate from the playing area. Additionally, you will need a space for the children to play outdoors, an indoor play area, a craft area and an eating area. The areas should all be free of hazardous materials or sharp edges on furniture or countertops.
-
-
3
Purchase outside and inside toys to use in your home daycare center. Consignment shops and yard sales are a good place to find high-quality toys at a reasonable price. You will also need a professional-quality first aid kit, fire extinguisher and smoke detectors in your home.
-
4
Begin the accreditation process. Even if you do not need a license to receive public funds, you may still want to become accredited through the National Association of Family Child Care to qualify to purchase liability insurance. To complete the licensing process, contact your county office of the statewide Department of Job and Family Services.
-
5
Write a contract and policy letter for your potential clients. This letter should outline when payments are due as well as the penalties for late payments. The policies should cover food, absences, vacations and emergency policies. Have the children or their parents fill out an emergency contact sheet as well as basic information to keep on file.
-
6
Advertise on local bulletin boards, in parent publications, on online community resources and by word of mouth. A newspaper can be expensive and not-too-effective way to find clients.
-
7
Interview prospective clients and give them a tour of the childcare area of your home. Have any clients sign a contract regarding your policies and payment.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Create a basic schedule of activities the children will complete each day. Offering a preschool program with circle time and daily crafts will attract more clients than just babysitting all day would.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Goodshoot/Getty Images
