Maybe you’re someone who’s been caring for kids for a very long time, whether it was taking care of your siblings growing up or watching your friends’ children from time to time, however you choose to look at it, you pretty much know the ropes of taking care of children. From changing diapers and story time to making healthy snacks and playing educational games, the time has come for you to take your love for children to the next level.
Now, there are several jobs out there that allow you to work with children but in order to work with children, in any facet, it’s going to take more than just your love alone… there are some legal requirements that you will need to make this dream become a reality. It’s not something that will happen overnight but with patience and dedication, you will be able to open up your own daycare.
The Real Need For Daycares
According to the Pew Research Center, one out of four mothers are raising their children on their own. On top of that, the number of working moms are on a steady increase, which is making working moms more reliable on trustworthy daycares to take care of their children, so as you can see, there is a real need for good and trustworthy daycares and your daycare could be the very daycare that could change the lives of working mothers in your local area.
If you’re serious about taking the journey of starting your own daycare, understand that the journey might have some bumps along the way but if you stick to it, you’ll have your own daycare in no time. Follow this guide to opening your own daycare.
1. Get an Early Childhood Education Degree
Getting a degree in early childhood education will not only benefit you but it will also establish trust from parents. Having that degree will let them know that you know what you’re doing and that you have the education to back it up. Obtaining this degree is more than just passing tests and getting good grades… it’s experience and insight that will benefit your business and set you apart from competitors.
2. Obtain the Proper Licensing
If you’re seriously considering opening a daycare, you will not only need the education to back you up but you will also need the proper licensing to make your business legal. If you’re unsure how to even begin this process, start by contacting your local Department of Children and Family Services. They will give you all the information you need on all the rules and regulations on how to be a child care provider.
To actually obtain a license, the state may require you to have an updated CPR certification and a clean driving record. You may even have to show other documentation that further displays your love for working with children. This could be letters of recommendation or volunteer hours from a daycare or youth development center
3. Establish Your Financial Goals and How to Reach Them
If you’re starting a daycare, you’re going to need to have money for upfront costs. Whether you get a small business loan or seek out grants and tax credits, you’ll need to figure out the best way to get your business started financially.
4. Set Yourself Apart From the Competition
There are so many daycares out there that simply keep the kids alive. You’ll really need to brainstorm ideas and ways to make your daycare stand out from the competition and make parents choose your daycare over the others. For example:
- Offer overnight hours
- Provide holistic recreation
- Provide vegan or vegetarian menu options for the children
People work different types of jobs at all different hours and with everyone becoming more aware of what goes into their bodies, having options like this available to parents is a great way to stay ahead of your competition.
5. Create a Daycare Contract
Creating a daycare contract is very important to outline how your business will be run. The contract you create will need to answer any question a parent might ask. Your contract will need to outline several aspects but some of the big aspects include the following:
- Drop-off and pick-up times
- Late penalties
- Late payment penalties
- Sick policy
- Services provided
6. Market Your Daycare
Now, this might be the most important aspect to the success of your daycare… you can’t have a successful running daycare without kids to watch. With that being said, you have to market your business. Lots of people promote their business through social media platforms, which is a great way to do it but other people also like to market through promotional products.
The promotional products can come in the form of click pens, water bottles, or sticky notepads. You should consider setting up a booth at local business conventions too, to get your name out there. Just imagine, if you combine your marketing efforts through social media platforms and promotional products, you’ll get to start taking care of little ones in no time!
This is my dream job. I believe you never too old to go back to school and study
Wow, great tios. Love to open my own daycare.