Are you thinking of starting your own child care business in your home? Are you having trouble figuring out where to start? Try some of these suggestions and links.
Check with your local licensing agency. Usually this is your state's department of social services.
Get listings of local providers willing to share their knowledge from referral agencies. The phone numbers for these agencies can usually be obtained from the licensing agency. The referral agencies can sometimes give you price ranges for services in your area too.
Do some research on the internet. Here are two great pages to start with: The Daycare Providers Beginners Page has lots of information on starting a daycare and regulations for each state. The Daycare Providers Home Page has lots craft and activity ideas as well as an e-mail group of providers to help with questions or problems.
Check with your insurance company and make sure you have plenty of coverage. A special daycare rider maybe needed on your homeowners policy and a one million dollar liability umbrella is a good idea also.
Check with your local Red Cross. They have a class just for daycare providers that covers CPR, health and safety. It is worth the cost.
Make sure your family is OK with you doing this. It will take some cooperation from them for you to run a successsful business.
Unless you can dedicate a set area in your home for daycare, you will want to have tools and equipment that can be put away at the end of the day. Such as, gates that can be removed, playpens that fold up, toys and other items that can go on shelving or in a cabinet. This way your family can have their house back at the end of the day.
Try to stay organized. If you have a computer, use it. Do your accounting with a bookkeeping program. Use a publishing program for flyers, business cards and such. Spread sheet software makes great sign in sheets and schedules.
Finally, make sure to make time for yourself. Running your own business is stressful. Especially one that is in your home. Find a relaxing hobby and make time to do it. Some good times are while the kids are napping, while you are
waiting for drop-offs or pick-ups, or whenever you can.
