Requirements to Become an In-Home Child Care Provider
Starting and operating a child care business can be a rewarding endeavor if you love children and want to see them have a solid foundation for growth. If you are good at cultivating a nurturing environment for children, then running a child care business directly out of your home may be for you.
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Licensure
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The most important thing about starting an in-home day care business is researching local and state regulations. To obtain a license, your house must be child-proofed and have up-to-date safety equipment, such as smoke alarms, outlet plugs, cabinet and toilet locks and gated doorways and stairs. You must know how much local licenses cost and how to make an appointment for an inspector to come to your home and check to see if the requirements have been met.
Home Readiness
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Your home must meet local and state requirements for a day care. In most states, you must have an area for rest, a separate area for play and a yard with equipment for playtime. Certain states, such as Oklahoma, require a special place where children can retreat, or a quiet private space, such as a covered table or a small playhouse. All states require that you establish eating areas, and your kitchen must be approved for preparing meals, which may or may not include an investment in new kitchen equipment. For example, most home day cares are required to have a stainless steel sink.
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Business Literature
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Your potential customers -- the parents -- must know in concise detail how you plan to operate your business. Be very frank about what you will charge. State clearly that you expect the first two weeks of payment in advance, so you never have to worry about parents who change from child care center to child care center to avoid payment. Put all of these expectations in a pamphlet or a brochure or some other kind of promotional documentation, and include late fees and when and how payment is expected. Take this time to do a little self-promotion, and state clearly how you intend to care for and educate children while they are in your care. If you need to drum up a little business, then take your promotional literature and put it on the bulletin board at the local library.
Considerations
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Sit down with a financial consultant, whether an attorney, a business mentor or an accountant, and make sure that you take care of all the legalities that come along with running a business. Take into consideration the changes with your taxes that will come with being self-employed and the cost of licensing, equipment upkeep and your initial investments. See if your local Chamber of Commerce can be beneficial to you. You can also contact SCORE, a nonprofit association composed of retired businessmen and executives who mentor small-business people for free. SCORE is a resource partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration.
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References
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