Simple Steps to Start Running a Day Care Business
Business acumen and a love of children can prepare you to become a successful day care owner. With many dual-income households, modern-day parents are looking for reliable providers to watch their children. Starting up a day care business requires a significant start-up effort. The more planning you complete before you open your doors, the more successful your day care center will be.
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Plan
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Assess the need for a day care center in your city. Determine what type of day care center you want --- commercial or residential. The type of day care center will dictate state requirements for training and licensing. Identify how many children you plan to watch and how many employees you need. Check out competitor's pricing so that you can set reasonable rates and attract clients. Create a detailed business plan to launch your business.
Complete Training
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Before entrusting children to your care, states require aspiring day care businesses to meet a number of requirements. Ultimately, these requirements allow the day care to earn a license to operate. Many states, such as Florida, expect day care providers to complete training. Florida day care providers must complete 40 hours of introductory child care training as well as 10 hours of in-service training that includes topics like first aid, nutrition and outdoor play safety. Contact your state agency to find out what training you must complete to earn your license.
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Apply for a License
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Earning a day care provider license from your state is essential when starting up your business. After completing the required training, complete an application for your license, which you can get from your state's licensing department or department of children and families. You will likely need to provide information about your day care facility. The state might send a representative to investigate the facility to ensure it meets safety standards.
Hire and Acquire
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With your day care license in hand, you are ready to launch. First, you need to find skilled child care professionals to work in your facility. Interview and hire capable workers. Acquire toys and educational materials. Establish a daily schedule, including playtime, rest time, meals, snacks and outdoor activities. The more structured you make your day care schedule, the more cooperative the children.
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References
- Entrepreneur Magazine: Business Idea Center: Day Care Center
- State of Delaware: A Guide To Running A Home Daycare in Delaware
- Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services: Child Care Center Provisional Licensing Process Checklist
- Florida Department of Children and Families: Child Care Training Overview
- Photo Credit kids image by Marzanna Syncerz from Fotolia.com
