Daycares and home-based care centres are rewarding businesses with the potential to bring families together while providing parents the opportunity to work, knowing their children are well looked after. Although it’s not necessarily simple to start a daycare, keeping certain things in mind can make it easier.
To provide quality home childcare in your area, it’s best to have a plan. Here are five steps to take to ensure that your business has the greatest opportunity to succeed.
Know Your Location
One of the first things to do when starting a daycare is to get to know your potential customers and attract families to your business. Think of this is as a multistage process in which you start by determining need.
Scope your location and familiarise yourself with your area’s resources. Are there many families with young children and working parents? Is there already a daycare nearby? Does the local school have aftercare, or are people in need of a place for their children to go before or after school?
If your area already has home- or school-based daycare, you may want to relocate your business to a different neighbourhood. If there’s a demand where you are, your business is more likely to do well.
Have a Financial Plan in Place
There are many considerations when it comes to financial planning. Create a comprehensive list of expenses, including the following:
- Business licences as well as any government fees, costs for setting up a company
- Furniture, such as extra beds, craft tables, bookcases, and bean bags or floor mats
- Meals and snacks
- Books, art supplies, and writing utensils
- First aid kits and safety items
- Staff salaries and training and/or certification fees
- Insurance coverage
Always budget for more than you think you’ll use. When working with children, it’s wise to expect the unexpected.
Hire Qualified Employees
Your staff can make the difference between a good day care and a great one. When hiring, look for energetic, dynamic people who have experience working with children. Also consider communication skills, as your employees will be interacting with parents and guardians.
Caregivers in any setting should know child and infant CPR and how to admister basic first aid. If you plan on taking small field trips or other excursions, every employee will need to have a driver’s licence and car insurance. Don’t forget any certifications that may be required to work with children in your province or state.
Get Insurance
You’ll want to make sure you have homeowners insurance to cover any damage to your home as well as daycare liability insurance. It’s important to have wide coverage, but you’ll also need to investigate where these might overlap and plan to purchase accordingly. Usually, daycare insurance is an extension of homeowners coverage and applies to small accidents or property harm.
Set Up an Application Process
Once your business is set up and you’ve built awareness using either digital marketing strategies, more traditional methods, or word of mouth, you’re ready to welcome families! Decide on what type of application process you want to use (online, written form, or both) and use an appointment calendar system to meet and interview interested parents and their children.
When your home-based centre is at capacity, establish a waiting list in case applicants drop out of the process or move away. An orientation night is a great way to have families meet each other and attract future enrollees.
The bottom line
Building a quality care business for children out of your home takes preparation and planning. By taking the right measures, you can be successful and provide a warm, welcoming environment to families eager to see their children thrive.
