Starting Your Own Daycare Business

Making your own daycare business is a great business venture. It works exceptionally well if you like children. It can be a source of income for you and your family, just like a regular business enterprise. Its size can range from just a small home-based project to a grand commercial establishment. It’s all up to you to decide which way you plan your business to go.

But having your own daycare center is entirely different from the babysitting you used to do for your neighbors back when you were just a teenager. A daycare center is a real business just like any other business venture. You need to decide what services you will be offering, the age range of your target clients, and any other aspects that you need to worry about as you make your commercial enterprise.

And since this line of work involves taking care of somebody else’s children, you must be aware of your responsibilities as well as the rules and regulations that govern the business. You need to be aware of the laws and rights and other licenses that you need before setting up your business.

Before anything else, you need to do a market study around your community. Determine the needs of your area. Do they need a daycare center? Are there parents in need of such a business? The site location is another thing to consider. Will it be an extension of your house? Or will it be a separate establishment? Choose the area that you are most comfortable with, accessible and, affordable.

Do a rough estimate of everything you will need to set-up and start the business. You will also need manpower to staff your daycare center, which must also be included in your estimate. You may probably need to get a bank loan, or get a financer to help you out with the capital.

After that, you need to accomplish all the necessary paperwork. The licenses that you need to operate as well as any permits needed vary from state to state. Thus, it is your responsibility to research on the necessary requirements. It may take you several weeks to a few months to accomplish all of this, but it is a necessity to have them before operating.

You and your staff should also get the necessary trainings and seminars to be able to handle emergency situations such as calamities or basic first aid and life support. Make sure that you daycare is fully equipped with all the necessary first aid paraphernalia and fire extinguishers for emergency purposes. It’s better to be prepared for the worst case scenario.

Be sure to adhere to all the protocols and policies required by your state, you never know when they might suddenly give a surprise inspection of the place. Also do a market study on the common prices and packages offered by other daycare centers and think of your own prices and gimmicks to stay ahead. Remember this is no mere child’s play but a serious and heavy business to manage.

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The Advantages of Starting a Day Care Center Business

Well said and proven, the day care industry is a lucrative business providing a generous income to its owners. The market for this kind of business increases yearly as both parents work to help financially to ongoing family expenses. But aside from the financial benefit this industry can offer, there are some rewards awaiting day care center owners and care providers.

The first reward that you can actually reap from owning a childcare service is your work being appreciated by both the parents and the children. Even a simple “Thank you” from the mouth of a kid can brighten up your day. How much more if they hug you and tell you that you are the best nanny they ever had? The feeling of helping mothers by taking care of their kids is also gratifying. A lot of times, parents would hand you a small gift to show how grateful they are for what you are doing. Isn’t it worthwhile to know that you are touching lives of other people and making a significant difference?

In addition, many child care workers testify that working with kids can lessen burdens in life. Being with a child all day can make you a happy and jolly person. Working in a happy environment is enough reason to pursue this kind of career. Just compare having to work in an office where you have to deal with grumpy people and irate boss with working with jolly kids. You don’t have to deal with people talking behind your back. As a matter of fact, children would always be honest to you and tell you how they feel. Day care center work beats office work. Children may sometimes be hard to handle. They are usually gullible and noisy at their stage. But at the end of each day, they will come to you with their warm and heartfelt hugs and kisses.

Unknowingly, you develop skills while working as a day care service provider. If you are a mother, you learn the tricks and art of taking care of children. You learn to control your temper and sometimes to humble yourself so others can feel happy. You learn to do things you have never done before and get the reward of a feeling of accomplishment every end of the day.

Getting to run your own day care business can also give you a feel of how other markets are being managed. You get to know legal matters about setting up a business. This would include requirements, licensing and rules behind setting up a business. From a small business of a day care center, you can then pursue to a bigger business basing on your experiences running your day care.

Try to ask people who worked or are working as a day care service provider. You would hear various stories of triumph and joy. They would tell you how working as a care provider changed their lives. You would be surprised that it is not just a matter of having a large streaming amount of cash coming in out of this business; there is more to the monetary nature of a day care center.

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The Benefits of Starting Your Own Day Care Center

If you want a home based job or you simply want to run your own business, the child day care industry is perfect for you. Proven by many, it is a very luxurious way of getting a good income. The market is increasing year by year as both parents work to cope up with the need of more money for ongoing family expenses. Like any other business, the day care industry can generate money for the care providers. But do you know that there is more to the monetary nature of this kind of industry? There are other rewards that are awaiting day care owners and care providers like you.

Think about working with children who would give you a sincere hug now and then and even tell you that they love you! This is one of the greatest rewards one can get from a day care center, being appreciated by the little people you work for. Teachers usually receive small gifts from parents to show how grateful they are for your efforts of taking care of their own children. Imagine how much load you have lifted from these parents back just by looking after their kids while they work. Isn't it worthwhile to know that you are touching the lives of others who in return make a difference in your life too?

Try to interview teachers who have been working with kids for a long period of time now. Would there be a difference between what they would tell you and what people who work in the office would say? There is a big difference. Care providers would testify that working with kids lightens up burdens in life. Being with the presence of a child creates a happy and light environment. Having a healthy working environment is reason enough to pursue this kind of career. You don't have to deal with a nagging boss and grumpy colleagues talking behind your back. The sincerity of the children you are with every day simply turns you into a jolly person as well. The kids can be a headache sometimes but when they come to you with their heartfelt sorry, all traces of anger seem to just vanish at an instant.

While working with children, you get to develop skills unknowingly. You become more patient, temperate, and humble. You learn the art of taking care of little ones. You hone methods of teaching which are not taught at university. You get to do things that you did not know before and at the end you get appreciated by those around you.

Since a day care center is considered as small scale, you get the feel of the basics of running a business. If some day you want to venture into a bigger business, you already have an idea of what you have to do, from licensing to advertising your business. A day care center can be a learning curve for you.

It is true that a day care center business could be a source of large streaming amount of cash. Forget the cash for a minute and you would realize that there is more to money making in this kind of industry.

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Never Allow The IRS To Take Advantage Of Your Home Daycare Business

The common belief is that the IRS looks at small businesses, including your home daycare center, as potential cash cows. Whether it is true or not is immaterial - we all know that the IRS really will squeeze every tax dollar it can get from any business, big and small.

There is no problem with the fact that people and businesses have to pay taxes for it is given that when you avail of the services and protection provided by the government, you must pay your dues. However, there could be unforeseen circumstances that makes paying taxes too difficult. One is when your business is not making money. It will be a scary situation when you discover at year's end that your business did not make any money at all and still, you have to the pay the IRS your taxes. Another difficult situation is when one of the partners of the business embezzles the business' money or when you have been a victim of a vicious theft or robbery. Even if you are almost totally wiped out, you have to pay your taxes when they become due.

You have an option in situations like these. Use hardship to remove penalties assessed on your tax debt. IRS is not really out to squeeze you dry. You can explain to the IRS your unfortunate situation and they can forego with the penalty assessment on your tax liabilities. However, you still have to find means of paying the rest of your tax debt like making arrangement for a payment plan.

But a home daycare owner need not have future tax debts as there are a number of ways to minimize tax levies on your business. You can claim a number of deductions for your home based daycare center business. First, you can deduct the usual business expenses like equipment, materials and supplies. This will lower your tax payment considerably. Second, use your house as your tax deduction. Remember that your daycare center is a home based business which means that you are using your home space as the area of operation of your business.

Using your house and everything in it as tax deduction is not a complicated matter. All you need to do is determine the portion or percentage of your house area that is used for your daycare business. If you have an 1800 square feet house and you use 900 square feet for your daycare, then it simply means that you are using half of your house for your business. You can therefore claim 50% of the mortgage and the utilities of your house as business deductions. You can also add into the mix the percentage of food and other consumables that are used by your home childcare business. The IRS will not refute the idea that your client children do eat and drink also so they will not disapprove such claim for deduction.

By knowing what deductions to claim and making use of them in your tax filing, you are the one who will take advantage of the IRS, and not the other way around.

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Naming Your Daycare Business

A powerful tool in marketing you business is having a good business name. A business name that instantly makes an impact on the market has an edge over business names that are hard to pronounce and difficult to remember. It is not uncommon in the business field to first test market business or brand names.

Choosing a name for your daycare business requires a lot of thought aside from making consideration of so many factors. You need a name that will fit your personality and business outlook as well as the image you want to project in the community. You do not need a name that conveys a wrong message or picture of your business goals.

You need to follow some guidelines in choosing the name for your home daycare center:

• Decide on what thoughts and feelings your want your business name to convey. You can try some cutesy name like 'Little Adventurers' if you want to emphasize that children in your daycare center will be out for adventures while under your care. The business name could simply have your own name, like Mary's Daycare Center or bear the name of the place or the region, like Rosemead Daycare Center. It can also sound really educational as in 'Little Geniuses Learning Center' although it may sound like you are overdoing it. Finally, you can attempt to project warmth in your business name, as in 'Your Home Daycare Center' but you might as well stay away from it as it is already very common.

• You want people to really 'Get It'. Some people may be overly creative in choosing their business name that the meaning or the idea conveyed is lost. Your business name should clearly show you and the services that you offer.

• Get the right name the first time. Make sure that you have given a lot of thought in the business name that you choose to avoid having to change it frequently. There are business that change their names monthly, in the process confusing the public if it is still the same business or someone has put up a new one. Try to find a name that you will keep throughout the duration of your business.

• Don't play cute by using funky spelling that you hope will catch the public's attention. It might work the other way around. Stick to a name that is easy to pronounce and to spell.

• Check for a name's availability. Make sure it is not used yet by another business so you can avoid potential legal problems. After choosing a business name, printing out the flyers, and putting up the signs in front of your business, it is possible that you will just find in your mailbox a cease-and-desist order from the court because you are using somebody's business name.

• Check with the Thesaurus for the right word that can be used as your business name.

• Have a list of probable names and ask your family or friends to help you decide which one to adopt for your business.

• Register. If you are planning to have a website, you better take the steps to register your domain name immediately before somebody else takes it. You will then be faced with the options of either buying the domain name or changing your business name.

Always remember that you have to take your time in choosing a business name. Never rush into a name that you will have to change soon.

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Licensing Your Daycare Center

The most important thing to do when starting a daycare center business is applying for a license. Whether you operate your daycare business out of your own home or you have a separate place for it, license is required in all of the 50 states of the United States. It is considered to be a serious violation to operate a daycare center without a state license; this could really put you in a very serious trouble.

Each state imposes different requirements before issuing a license to operate a daycare center. Licenses are issued only upon the complete compliance by the applicant of all the requirements and when the design and plan of his daycare center meet the health and safety concerns of the state.

Licensing your daycare center will guarantee that your business will have clients. You do not expect parents to be entrusting their children under your care if you are not licensed. That will be similar to just dropping off the child to a baby sitter. The first question parents normally ask when they look for someone to care for their child is: Are you licensed?

A license is a proof that your daycare center is run professionally and that you are really serious in your business. A license will also assure parents that their children will be cared for in a healthy and safe environment that follows rules and regulations in order to make the daycare center a good and safe place for their children.

Parents are picky when it comes to the care of their children. In searching for a good daycare center where they can entrust their children, they normally have a set of criteria of what they are looking for. It is a good idea that you that you are ready to show your accreditation whenever parents ask to look at it because license or accreditation is definitely on top of their list. If you yourself are the parent of a child that needs daycare, you will not entrust such child to a daycare center that is not licensed because you can never be sure how they will take care of your child.

License is also your guide to operate your daycare center as required by the state. You will be provided guidelines on how to run your business in order for you to avoid making any violations that will put your business at risk. The guidelines provided by the state will also help you in the proper way of handling and caring for the children in your daycare, minimizing the chances of risk or injury to children. Costly medical expenses, litigations, and damages can be avoided.

Licensing your daycare business will be a guarantee that you can avail of tax deductions that are normally awarded operators of daycare centers. Such exemptions could not be availed of when you cannot show proof that the state recognizes your business.

If you are planning to put up a daycare center, you must contact your local government for information on the licensing requirements. Or you can check for requirements online at your state's website.

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The Nature Of A Daycare Center Business

With the rise of both parents working in the family, the need for day care centers is a major concern. Obtaining a good day care center that offers first rate care and service for children under the age of five is now on the list of busy parent’s priorities. Due to the increasing need for such kind of services, the industry of a day care center has been booming in the last decade.

There are different kinds of arrangements for day care services. Child care needs could be met in several ways. In-house child care, child care center care, or care in a provider’s house is the most common we can see today. Not only toddlers or preschoolers are catered by day care centers. Older children may also receive these services usually through a program called a before-and after- school care service.

In general, the day care service industry can be categorized into two main types. Preschools, Head Start Centers, and Child Care Centers are known as the Center-based care. They are usually more formal than the Family child care category in the sense of the location where the children are cared for. Center-based care centers usually have their own establishments or buildings used only for the specific purpose of a care center. On the other hand, family child care providers can provide care for the kids in the comfort of a home.

Aside from the center-based care and family child care categories, the day care center industry can also be categorized as either “For-profit” or “Nonprofit”. The for-profit day care industries are centers that independently operate or could also be a part of a local company. On the other side of the coin, Nonprofit organizations are usually religious instructions providing services for free or sometimes at a very minimal amount or a donation. Examples of nonprofit day care centers are YMCA, YWCA, social centers, colleges, public schools, government institutions, worksites, and social service agencies. The Head Start, a federally funded child care program designed for less privileged children is another example of the nonprofit category. Head Start programs provide both social and educational services; and for some, health services as well. For some employers, usually big companies, they offer child care benefits to employees who have kids. This idea came after the recognition that sometimes, the unmet need for a day care service could be a barrier to the employment of qualified parent employees. Some of these employers opt to having a day care service right in the workplace, or near it. Others simply provide financial assistance for parents to get their kids to a good day care center. Other option employers cling to are discounts and vouchers for child day care centers that they recommend or are in business with. Still others offer their employees dependent-care option plans which are flexible.

The day care center business, no matter what kind of service they offer, has rapidly increased to meet the needs for child care services and the want for home based jobs. It is one of the world’s most increasing industry and known to be profitables well.

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Useful Tips For Starting A Daycare Center

What is it about day care center that pushes you to start your own? Day care centers could be perfect business venture which will allow you to stay with your children while you bring in much needed profits and being your own boss. But, dreaming is different from getting started, and the doubts and worried may keep you from realizing this dream. Yes it is fearful to venture into something that you have very little knowledge of. Yet if you stop doubting and start believing, you can surely start and succeed.

Forget the fear, try out the environment first and familiarize yourself with the business to see if it is really something that you will enjoy. You need to feel that you indeed belong in this kind of career and that you will be happy handling and caring for kids in your home. Immerse yourself in the business by volunteering work for a day care center. Find one that allows staff to bring their kids or arrange a temporary child care while you research on your potential business). You can use your vacation days, apply for leaves or get some time off so that you can fully experience being in a day care center.

Ground experience is comparable to none. This will help you figure out your suitability for a particular profession. Hands on experience will introduce you the depth of day care’s daily operations. You will learn invaluable lessons and scrape together tips and hints that will help you avoid chances of failure. Observing and practical application is a great way of figuring out the things that work from those that doesn’t.

Soak up on information you find in your research. Be sure and jot down notes whenever you get a break or soon after you get home so that everything is still fresh in your mind and you won’t have a hard time trying to recall them. Observe all the paperwork, procedures and policies every time you get the chance. There will surely be a lot of them so just try to remember the key points at the moment. Look at it at a bigger setting and how it all fits together to have a smooth running day care operations.

Be inquisitive and ask lots of questions especially of the senior and experienced staff and owner. Observe how they work, the way they interact with children, parents and other staff. Identify different roles of the staff like if each room has a key worker and assistant. Observe team dynamics and where it could be improved. Hone in on behavioural problems and take notice of the procedures for dealing with them. Note the weaknesses and use this knowledge to your advantage as a lesson on the things that you should not do.

Effective policies, systems and procedures allow a business to run smoothly and provide management and staff the structure and direction. The same things apply to daycare centers. Soon as you take away the fear of the unknown, all the pieces will come together and will give you the idea on the significant things to consider for starting a day care center. Immersion will give you a boost of confidence with the things you have learned and discovered. You will get priceless insights about your own suitability in this profession.

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Ways of Advertising Your Daycare Center

You have a proper day care center area and building, you have a cute name for it, you were granted a license to operate, and you have bought all the necessary equipment pieces. You seem to be all set up to start your day care center except for one important thing; you do not have any customers yet. It is time to spread the word around. This is one of the fun parts of starting your business. Advertising must be the easiest part compared to all the other steps you went through. The question is, with a budget on mind, what are ways of advertising your day care center?

Advertise online. The World Wide Web offers a lot of opportunity to post an advertisement either for free or for a small amount. Big sites like Craig's list can give you a little push in making your day care center publicized. This website gets thousands of visitors a day. Chance is your advertisement can be read by many. There can be websites catering for your specific area as well. Get in touch and inquire. Most likely, they would ask for a fee but don't fret, it won't cost you an arm and a leg.

Are you very good at writing or blogging? Make a blog about your day care center. Blogging services like blogger.com, wordpress.com and squidoo.com are absolutely free. Bring out the creative side in you. Post pictures of your center, your own picture, or a picture of other care providers who would be working with you. Give a good description of your site and write a warm welcome post. Do not forget to include your contact details in your blog. Allow people to leave a comment and once you receive one, reply as soon as you can. Make your blog as informative as possible.

Print out your very own business card featuring your day care center. Business cards can be easily created using your computer or with the help of the internet. Print it out and give it to acquaintances. Give more than one card to your close friends and ask them to pass it on. You can also leave these cards in places like restaurants, public libraries, or pass it on to people in church.

Post leaflets, posters and banners about your day care center. Produce appealing and creative ones so you are sure to attract people's attention. Make them colorful and bold. You can stand in the corner of a busy road and give it to people passing by. You can ask for other friends to help you do this. Remember to post banners only where you are allowed to.

Advertising is a great way of introducing your day care center to people around. It is the best way of making your day care center known and selling it as well. It does not need to be expensive, use your creativity and you would find yourself spending only a few dollars for advertisements. Go give it a try; advertising can help your day care center go from the ground up!

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Daycare Center Franchise Opportunities

The economic downturn has been pressing parents to work full-time, if not double time, in order to meet the needs of the family. We also see the rise of single-parent households making it imperative for the children to have a place where quality care could be provided. For working parents, especially a single parent, the most challenging task is to find a daycare center that can guarantee their children will find the love, care, and protection that they normally get at home. It requires a special person to run a reliable and quality daycare center. Starting a daycare center is no easy task as it will take a lot of study and preparation before you can even embark on the first step which is applying for a license. Nowadays, the task becomes easier with a number of daycare center franchise opportunities that makes starting one less difficult. The following are some of the best franchise opportunities available:

• Sylvan Learning Center - One of the elites in the field of daycare center is the Sylvan Learning Franchise that had been in operating for almost 30 years. They are rated number one and they have about 1200 centers all over North America. They pride themselves on the reputation for providing a quality care and excellent environment for the children under their care. Sylvan is strictly protective of their standards but they are always open to individuals who are good and trustworthy and desiring to offer a safe, quality learning environment for children.

• Young Rembrandts - They specialize in bringing out the artistic talents and abilities of their students. They do not require a huge monetary investment as they are designated as a home-based business. They help their franchisees by providing the necessary training to build and maintain the daycare business. Trainings on all business aspects, from marketing to the actual care and training of the client children, are provided.

• Tutor Time - They offer a very unique franchising opportunity in that you are provided a protected territory once you decided to open your daycare center. They see to it that your daycare center has at least 10,000 potential students within your exclusive territory. No other Tutor Time daycare center will be allowed to operate in your territory, giving you a greater opportunity to succeed. This franchise provides tutoring in science, math, computers, and the arts.

• Miss Kimberly's Daycare Center - They offer programs for infants through Pre-Kinder children, specializing in child development. The franchise also offers a protected territory and intensive training for the franchisee on how to run the business. You will be given all the necessary support to make you successful by designing a special program for you as a start up business owner.

• Legacy Academy for Children - They try to provide an atmosphere that will bring out the best in every child by promoting an encouraging and safe learning environment. Legacy Academy takes pride on setting a very high standard for child care. They will design a franchise opportunity to make your daycare business grow to a successful venture.

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Advertising Your New Daycare Center

Starting a daycare business is a very intelligent move. People need extra income to meet the spiraling cost of commodities and utilities. Parents on the other hand need to work full-time, sometimes with extra job on the side, for the same economic reason. By taking advantage of the needs of parents to find a responsible and quality care for their children while they are away in the jobs, your daycare center is guaranteed of income.

For your daycare business to really grow and turn in a modest income, you need to have a substantial number of clients. In order to attract clients, it is necessary that you have to advertise your business. You need not go too far advertising your daycare center as parents will outright reject the idea of putting their children to a far away daycare center. It will cost them precious time and gas to bring their children to a distant daycare center so their first option is one that is just around the area. You should then focus your advertising efforts to an area that is reasonably close to your daycare center. Anything farther will be a waste of your time, money, and efforts.

A very effective form of advertising is creating flyers to advertise your daycare business. Your flyer should give out the name of your daycare center, your name, your address and phone number, and most importantly, your license or accreditation number. You may also include your qualifications and trainings in the area of child care. Having all these in a flyer will make a very impressive advertisement for your daycare center.

You need not spend a ton of money for your flyers. You can create the flyers yourself using your home computer and printer. Show your artistic talent in designing an eye-catching flyer because a dull and flat flyer will simply end up in the trash cans. Then put all the important details and information in the flyer if you are out to get additional clients for your business.

Distribute and put your flyers in areas where your potential clients can see them. The local groceries and stores are good places to put your flyers as parents often visit these establishments. Have your flyers in the notice boards by the entrance of these establishments.

You can put flyers in gyms and in areas close to schools. Parents go to the gyms, they drop off their children to schools so there is a great chance that they will see your flyers.

You can request permission from local churches, museums, and other public places to allow you to put up some flyers in their bulletin boards. They will definitely be seen by people who frequent those places.

The best way to distribute your flyers will be to go around the neighborhood and drop flyers in the mailboxes of houses in your area. It will also a good idea of you can personally deliver your flyer to parents in the neighborhood who have children that need daycare. You may have that important chance of speaking to them personally and discuss what you can offer in your daycare center business.

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A Smart Daycare Business Plan

Creating a business plan for a daycare center is not as easy as making a business plan for other types of business. A daycare business plan has to adapt to a number of federal, state, and local laws that govern the daycare industry. It also has to include information about the licensing requirements for teachers and caregivers who will be employed by the daycare center in addition to the obligations of parents who will have their children taken care of the in the daycare center.

Despite the strict requirements for putting up a daycare center, such kind of business could be both a lucrative and a personally rewarding one. You will find satisfaction in being able to offer to discriminating parents an affordable and excellent quality care they need for their children. It is therefore necessary that you create a detailed, complete, child-oriented business plan for your daycare business before you start seeking funding for your venture.

Your daycare business plan can spell the success or failure of your business venture. If you turn up a plan that looks like a failure from the beginning, you will not be able to attract funding you need to start the costly business you decided to start. Funding that will be attracted by a promising business plan can help you buy the necessary desks and chairs, supplies and stocks, toys and equipment, sleeping mats and a lot of other items needed by the children. Only a complete and detailed business plan can attract the start up funding that you need to turn your dream into a reality.

Your daycare business plan will also be your tool in case you decide to apply for a business loan instead of getting start up funding. Your potential lender, a bank or any other financial institution, will carefully examine your business plan before they decide to grant you the loan you are applying for.

In some cases, the person who is proposing to start a daycare business may look for partners or investors. The potential business partners or investors will decide based on their examination of the business plan you are going to provide them. Nobody will invest a single dollar on your business if he cannot see any chance of success. A good business plan will be your partner in convincing your potential partners or investors to support your start up business.

In preparing your business plan, you have to provide complete and accurate information. It is to your benefit that your business plan can answer any questions that potential investors or lenders would want answers for. You must not submit additional documents to clarify points that may be raised by potential investors or lenders. Everything must be in the business plan that you are going to submit to them. Your business plan is your face to the business community. It is also your lifeline to the sources of funds necessary to start your business and to keep it going.

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Making Your Home Daycare Business Card Work To Your Advantage!

Most home daycare services prefer using business cards as their means of marketing their services. Despite this, most of their business cards are just in their drawers, accumulating dust and not circulating in the public. Business cards are meant to circulate or else you are not fulfilling their primary function in the world. You have spent money and time on these cards to advertise your business so make use of them.

Here are some basic tips to get your home daycare business cards out there and finding clients for you.

1. If there is an offer for you to drop your business card do it. You will often see a fish bowl or a box in restaurants or cafes that ask you to drop your business cards right? This is a good way to have your business card circulating. Just drop your card, it will not hurt you. There is a chance that one of the staff might need your service or knows someone who might need it.

2. Community boards and announcement boards are also a great place where you can put your business card. If you don’t have a flier to post, use your business card. Contrary to popular belief, people do actually read the things posted to these boards.

3. Business cards can also be used as an ad in news papers and magazines. The information on your business card is enough to serve as classified advertisement. Talk to your local paper and see if you can have this printed in their paper.

4. Halloween is a great way to give out your cards. A lot of kits will be tick or treating and giving out your business card together with the treats will be a good way to target your clients. These are young kids and their parents will most likely need a daycare at one point. Slip it into their Halloween packets or if their parents are with them give it directly to their parents. That’s hitting two birds with one stone.

5. Ask your friends and family members to help you with referrals. You can give them a few of your business cards to give out to people who they think might need your service. They’re your friends and family, so make them work for you once in a while.

6. Trade cards. If you know other businesses that have the same target market as you, you can exchange business cards with them and offer to give out their cards if they would also be willing to give out yours to their clients. You end up benefiting each other.

These are a few other ways where you can have your cards circulating in public. Be creative. If you think it’s alright o leave your card somewhere then do so. You don’t know who might end up reading it and you might just find yourself a new client. Just make sure that your business cards don’t give out personal information. You do not want to be in all sorts of trouble by giving out your personal information.

See: How to start a daycare business

Looking For A Day Care Center

Finally made the decision to send your child to a day care? This is one of the best decisions that you can ever make in your life. Especially when you are living a very busy life, you know that a day care will be the only solution that you will have. They are there to assist you when it comes to the needs of your child. During times when you are unable to look after your child, day care centers will always be there to offer a helping hand. They will make your life a lot easier, as you work for your family. You should not have any problem when making the decision whether you should work or stay home with your child.

One of the hardest part when it comes to sending your child to day care centers is choosing where to send your child. It is quite obvious that there are so many day care centers popping up from time to time, catering to the needs of so many working moms out there. You too, should not be confused, but instead, come up with a certain list of criteria that will allow you to make a sound decision when it comes to choosing the right day care for your child.

The primary concern that you should have would be the convenience of the working hours of the day care center. You need to know the working or the operating hours of the day care. You need to find a day care that will match your work schedule. What comes with this would be the distance of the day care of your choice. It should be somewhere in between your home or the office so that you will not have any problem when bringing and picking up your child from the day care. Allow for at least 30 minutes to one hour for pick up time to consider the travel time from place to place. It is important that you ask if they allow for late pick up for emergency situations. If they do not allow late pick up, might as well as them if they allow pick up by other authorized people. You need to comply with the rules that they have, because as a day care, they need to prioritize the safety of your child.

Speaking of safety, you need to make sure that you have a check on the different safety measures being practiced by the day care. First and foremost, you need to check for day care safety. Take a visit to their day care facility and see if they have any danger zones there. Sharp corners and edges should always be protected. Hard surfaces have to be covered with soft covering to prevent bumping hazards to occur. Day care centers have to have fire extinguishers, fire exits, alarms and protection from such accidents. You need to make sure that day care centers are equipped for such instances.

Besides from the physical safety, health should always be monitored in a day care center. Check for sanitation and cleaning procedures employed by the day care. They should maintain a clean day care so that illnesses, bacteria and germs will not be spread all throughout. The last thing that you would want to happen is that your child gets sick in a day care. This will double the stress that you have.

Asking for the curriculum of the day care will give you an idea on what is in store for your child. Each and every day care will have to have a different curriculum depending on what they think is important that children should learn. You should always ask for the lessons that are being taught to the child and see if it is in line with your goals for your child. Your child should get the proper education that he needs when he is in a day care center since this will be very important for the development of your child. They should have a balance of activities, touching each and every aspect of learning for your child. Sciences and arts should always be present in balance when you want your child to achieve optimum development in a day care.

It is important that you have an idea on the employment process of the day care center. Employees and staff members are an important part when it comes to the day care centers. You need to know that these people are competent enough to take care of your child. There are certain requirements that the day care must have set in order to ensure that the children are safe in the day care. They should know first aid, emergency protocols and be very keen to watch over the children since children can really be tricky to watch. These are some of the qualities which a day care staff should possess.

Make sure that whatever day care center you choose to send your child to, you need to maintain an open communication line with the provider. This is because the day care provider will always have to update you with whatever is happening to your child in the day care. You need to have a regular report of whatever is happening to your child so that you will have an idea on what is happening to your child. Always maintain an open communication line and always ask about your child.

Choosing a day care center will have to require you to have so much things to consider. Although these are so many things, these would lead you to a day care center that will give you the best care for your child. Never takes these things for granted because once you have missed one, you might be risking the safety of your child in the day care. Remember that your child is under the care of other people, so you really need to take the time and effort for looking for the best day care that will allow you to feel safe even when you are at work.

See: How to start a daycare center

Keeping Your Family Daycare Clean and Healthy

One of the main reasons why a daycare is utterly successful is because of it’s state of cleanliness. When you enter a day care for the first time you are treated to a room that should be kept clean and organized but also as a pleasant odor. It is true that the nose is your best tool in finding out if a daycare is up to par in cleanliness and grooming.

Here are some important pointers to consider in keeping your daycare sparkly clean and odor free, a definite must when enticing parents to sign up for your services:

Remember that as a daycare you are required to clean and sanitize in a daily schedule. Make a solution of a gallon of diluted bleach and this will be your cleaning regimen against those tough stains and germ contacting surfaces that may prove to be an infestation of filth and disease carrying bacteria. Remember that carpets should be cleaned and streamed at least every four months.

A good trick to keep your daycare smelling fresh all day is by baking cookies for that cozy warm breeze that will relax the children, and once it cools you can give it off as a treat. Air fresheners have toxic chemicals that can be bad for the children’s health.

Wash the sleeping bags, sheets and all forms of beddings at least once a week and immediately if it gets barfed on by a child and sanitize your diaper pail twice a day to get those nasty smell of diaper piles out.

5 tips to keep kids clean during flu season
During flu season it is imperative to keep the area clean and safe for children especially in a daycare. Season change is the primary responsible agent for flu season and for children it can be more difficult to handle. Here are some simple tips to remember to keep the flu virus at bay.

Washing your hands often is the number one protection any person can have against germs and pathogens that may cause influenza or spread it For your day care remember to provide a child proof disinfectant rub that they can use to sanitize when they finish their meal.

If a child has high fever stand firm and send them home. This can be inconvenient for parents who leave their kids to go to work but remember that isolating the child will help prevent the spread of illness and allow him to have much needed rest to recuperate from the flu.

Each time you find a child swallowing a toy or using their mouth to slobber day care paraphernalia with their saliva, remember to disinfect and have a bin where you can put these for sterilization later.

Remember to add a standard set of disinfecting tools that will be your staple when it comes to creating a sound and clean environment that is truly worthy of hospital clean standards.

Most importantly you can avoid the spread of disease and bacteria in the daycare center by proactively looking out for soiled diapers and be a conscientious agent when it comes to changing it and grooming the child. Keep each item separate for each daycare participant. Never share towels used to wash a child and maintain a separate stack of diaper, with the preferred brand of the parents in mind to maintain the outmost sanitation for both daycare and the child.

Trouble free plastic daycare cups
Disposable plastic cups are used widely for drinking beverages such as water, coffee , tea, fruit juices and milk. They can be found in restaurants, food chains, picnic groves and your occasional party, school event and of course the daycare. Plastic cups used in daycare is a convenient method of providing refreshments because of it’s sanitation and health awareness measures. You don’t need to wash them, put them in the dishwasher or use detergent and are easily available from your local department store or supermarket.

It is absolutely the best and safest way to use plastic cups in a daycare center because you can minimize clutter, save up on costs and make sure that the health and safest of the children come first. There are many colors, shapes and sizes of plastic cups that you can choose from that will be fun and enjoyable for the kids. You can purchase the non-disposable plastic cups similar to the kiddie drinks in restaurants if you have the time to wash them in your daycare.

You can customize the plastic cups even further by stamping it with your very own daycare logo so that you can create an identity and use it as a great advertising tool for your daycare center. Plastic cups have been a great help for daycare centers, and is highly recommended to be used as a means to provide refreshments in a clean and health conscious manner that makes the job easy and mess free during lunch and snack times.

Disposable plastic cup choices are perfect drinking utilities for food provision and are used by many consumers for small children to kids of median age. Imagine how difficult it could be during feeding time without the benefit of plastic cups. You can end up having a hard time when it comes to storage and finding out later that glass can be a dangerous item to bring inside the daycare. To make sure that you have a safe and worry free environment when it comes to serving refreshments to children then have a stable supply of plastic cups.

Plastic cups for your daycare are helpful when it comes to saving time money and energy. If your main concern is the spillage that kids often commit when they are using open spouted plastic cups then there are daycare plastic cups that come with their own lid and straw. This way you can avoid spillage and avoid accidents happening during mealtime. If you are running a daycare it is your top priority to ensure that children are fed properly and safely.

For more see: How to start a daycare business

Insurance For Your Home Daycare

One of the many things you will need when you start your home daycare business is to have the right insurance to protect you and your business. You would want to be able to keep your business running in any eventuality. Insurance can cover many different things such as physical injuries that children may acquire while being under your care. You home daycare insurance may not be covered by your existing home policy insurance and you would need to make the necessary changes to the coverage to make sure you are covered.

You need to speak with your home insurance provider the scope of your current home insurance and determine if there is a possibility to make the changes of if you would need to get a whole new insurance for your business. Most home policy insurances do not include the home daycare and would even restrict the coverage from having a home daycare. You will need to study this carefully.

What you would want to get is a business policy that would provide the necessary requirement coverage for your daycare. There are a number of different types of home daycare insurance available for you to choose from. There are three basic types of liability insurance for your home daycare.

• Homeowner insurance of renter insurance. This policy gives you the protection and provides coverage to the children who are under your daycare premises. The policy does not cover any child abuse.

• General Liability. This insurance covers a larger aspect. It covers fieldtrips and child abuse with no extra added cost. It also provides protection for the children within the scope of your daycare service.

• Professional Liability or error and omissions insurance. This insurance policy provides the maximum coverage for your home daycare. It also provides insurance for negligence in child care. Other aspects that are covered by the policy are:

* Personal Injury
* Accident on premises
* Field Trips
* Child Abuse
* Auto Liability
* Medical expenses due to accidents
* Accidental death on the premises

When choosing the insurance form you might be well off choosing the occurrence form since it will cover the claim even if the insurance has already elapsed. In the event that a parent decides to file a claim against you due to child injury or sickness, your home daycare policy insurance will be able to take care of the legal costs that may arise. Be sure you are aware of which type of insurance form you are choosing since this will greatly affect the coverage of your insurance and your protection from any liability.

The home daycare insurance is one of the most important documents you can ever have when starting and running your own home daycare service business. This will help you keep afloat in any eventuality that may end up in legal battle or medical care. This will help save you and your business and assure that you stay in business for years to come. Talk to your insurance agent and get the best insurance you can have.

Visit: How to start a home daycare

Insurance For Your Daycare Center

Insurance is one of the necessities of and hardships in life. It’s an added cost to your life yet it may end up saving your life. It’s always a big question whether or not one should get insurance because you will be paying for something that you might not actually you in the end. But I guess its better safe than sorry.

As a new owner of your daycare center, you will experience a lot of obstacles that would provide a lot of challenge and learning experiences. Of all these experiences you would be wise to learn the value of protecting yourself and your business from risk of accidents and liabilities. Having yourself and your business insured will provide you with the invisible security that you need in times of hardship due to accidents and unforeseen dilemma. The question is what type of insurance should you be getting?

* Business insurance. - Your daycare center is a form of business. You will need to get a business insurance to protect yourself from possible future losses and the future of the people under your employment. This insurance aims to protect your investment and keep you going in difficult times.

* Basic insurance would cover your fire and accidental insurance. This is common to most people as it protects not only you but your place of business. In the eventuality of fire or accidents the insurance would be able to cover the expenses and other liabilities depending on the coverage of the insurance policy. Most insurance companies already include this in the package when you get insurance from them. If this is not included be sure that it gets included.

* Daycare liability insurance is specifically designed for the needs of the daycare and protection of its owners and constituents. The current business insurance you have, may already have this included but if not you would need to get a separate one. There are a lot insurance companies who offer this type of insurance and you should pick out the one that has the best package and coverage. You want to prepare for anything that may happen especially since you are dealing with kids. General liability insurance will cover everything that may arise such as loss, physical injury and even legal costs if it arises. Don’t hesitate to ask your insurance agents about the coverage of your insurance. They will be happy to inform you of what would be the best type of insurance to get for your daycare center.

* Errors and Omissions Insurance provides you the maximum coverage for your daycare. It covers negligence, personal injury, field trips, unforeseen circumstances and medical expenses for the children in you care. The insurance will even cover clauses for accidents and accidental death.

Insurance types are numerous and you would choose the best one that would suit your needs. Be sure you account for everything and that you are protected in every aspect. You do not want to be regretting in the end and asking yourself why you did not get that insurance.

See: How to start a daycare center

How to Start A Home Daycare Service

Before you start your own home day care service, you have to understand and be prepared for several different things first.

There are so many things to be considered when it comes to starting your own home day care service so it is important that you are really serious about it. Your home day care service could either cater to the elderly or to children; either way you have to consider several different things.

* Some basic questions that individuals need to ask themselves before offering such services is whether or not they have the actual skills to handle this particular type of business. You should definitely evaluate whether the service is just a supplement to earn more money or if the individual is thinking about a long-term home based career. It would be important to assess whether there is sufficient space in the home to accommodate the office of the day care center. The long-term effect of expansion also needs to be evaluated in terms of space, manpower, finances, and efforts involved in putting the necessary effort required for business to grow and continue once established.

* Another crucial question would be to sit back and think whether the individual is emotionally and physically equipped to deal with querulous elderly people or energetic children. Individuals also require knowing beforehand that this interaction would be on a daily basis and thus would demand face-to-face communication.

* Apart from that, individuals need to familiarize themselves with laws and certain regulations when it comes to starting a day care service and obtain the necessary license from the State. Some states may require special certification and it is essential to inquire and obtain required documents accordingly. Two most commonly required certificates by most states are CPR and First aid certifications, though some regulations may vary from one state to another.

* Individuals may opt to buy or rent a house for opening a day care service. In such a case, individuals need to find out the area zoning laws and other external constraints that might come up with respect to opening a day care center. Some banks and other financial institutions may offer financial support. Most banks may offer to guide such individuals through the process. Liability insurance is mandatory apart from which fire and theft insurance can also be opted for.

* The childcare or daycare business has become a valuable part of modern society. Parents want a place they can leave their children while they are at work and be assured that their kids are in good hands. With this said, it is apparent that for anybody interested in running a home based daycare business or daycare center, the first priority must be the love of children. Their safety and well being must come before financial gains on your priority list. Starting a daycare center could be the best way to positively impact on the lives of the children and parents in your community. Obviously, in the long run, if properly planned, a daycare business is bound to be lucrative, but you are sure to enjoy the bond created between you, the children and their parents in decades to come, more than any financial again.

* For a start, you really have to do thorough research. You have to know what you are getting yourself into, the pros, the cons and the prospects. Does your locality need another daycare operator? Will it be profitable in your area? Are those running the existing centers enjoying the experience? These are some of the numerous questions you need to get answers to. It would be a great idea to visit existing daycare centers; you could interview parents about what they think of the services they are getting, what they expected and also the operators about how well the business is thriving.

* You will also want to learn about licensing and certifications required for running a daycare business. Some states will require that you get licensed while some others may not. You may also want to get First Aid, CPR or other kind of certifications. Even if these were not prerequisites, they would come handy when the business gets into full swing. You never can tell what events could occur, it is always better to be prepared for accidents and eventualities.

* You need to consider if you want to run a home based daycare business or a daycare center. If it is going to be home based, you might need to transform your home to make it conducive for a home based daycare business. You also have to make sure that the place is comfortable and safe for children if you plan on catering your business to children alone.

* You should also consider what impact being with children all day long would have on you and your family. If you are not a natural child lover, a daycare business may be very demanding, as tending children requires a lot of love, understanding and patience. If you have growing kids yourself, the task may be more demanding, as you never can tell what impact the kids you are tending will have on your own children. However, if handling such things is not stressful for you or if you are stay at home mom that is seeking to supplement her income with the venture, then a home based daycare business might just the right thing for you.

* As with any other business venture, a clear business plan would definitely impact positively on its success. You need a business plan to map out the viability or otherwise of the venture. You need to consider the initial capital and expense you will incur setting up the business, where these monies will come from and how you are going to recoup your initial capital plus profit. Your business plan will also take care of all necessary accounting and tax expenses, and even create back ups in case of accidents or other eventualities.

To conclude, the success of your business venture will be directly proportional to how well prepare for it before actually starting your daycare service. Do as much research as you can, learn all you can find about children and their needs, what parents wish for their children and especially, a good business plan. It is never wrong to be well prepared, you will be better for it.

See: How to start a home daycare service

How To Properly Evaluate A Daycare Center

The day care industry is expanding. There are now more than 100,000 licensed child-care centers and 250,000 licensed family day care homes across the United States.

The market for day care increases every year as the working mother in society increasingly return to work to contribute financially to the ongoing household expenses. Day care centers have now proven to be a lucrative niche for owner operators, especially those who have purchased franchises. The day care industry is expanding. There are now more than 100,000 licensed child-care centers and 250,000 licensed family day care homes across the United States.

An overall increase in professionalism has helped to enhance the reputation of the child care and day care field. Only 20-30 years ago, child care was a cottage industry operating out of remodeled houses, granny flats or small business shop fronts. Early centers were essentially baby-sitting facilities. Today's day care centers, frequently part of regional or national chains, are larger and more professionally run. Because parents want their children to get educational services, many centers require that their caregivers have early childhood education degrees. The day care industry is regulated by state law, and sometimes also by county or city, and the regulations vary widely by state.

The day-care center industry has changed a lot over the past 15 years, and industry professionals are predicting that it will change even more by the year 2010. Family-run day care centers seem to be holding their own because they are especially popular for infants and younger toddlers whose parents are looking for the family style influence. However, the smaller commercial centers are disappearing, due to difficulties in meeting increased government regulation, and buyouts by regional or national chains. The regional and national daycare chains will no doubt continue to grow. Unfortunately, those children can climb counters. And chairs. And tables. And balconies

You want a staff that can sense changes in children, and you want them to be willing to respectfully question you or offer on-the-spot information. An early child care center’s goal should be to facilitate children’s cognitive, social, and emotional development.

Staff
• Do the caregivers/teachers seem to really like children?
• Do the caregivers/teachers get down on each child’s level to speak to the child?
• Do the caregivers hold babies often?
• Do the caregivers talk to and engage the babies when they’re awake?
• Is someone supervising the sleeping babies and toddlers?
• Do the caregivers hold babies when they’re crying?
• Do the caregivers meet children’s needs quickly even when they are busy?
• Are the caregivers/teachers trained in CPR, first aid, and early childhood development and education?
• Are the caregivers involved in continuing education programs?
• How long have caregivers/teachers been working for the center?
• Is the director and assistant director trained and experienced in early childhood development and education with at least a bachelor’s degree and two years of experience in child care settings?
• Does the lead teacher have a bachelor’s degree in a child-related field?
• Has the teacher worked in child care for at least one year?

Programs
• Does the program follow children’s changing and developing interests?
• Do the caregivers/teachers and children enjoy being together?
• Is there enough staff to serve the children? (Ask local experts about the best staff to child ratios for different age groups.)
• Is the atmosphere bright and pleasant?
• Is the program accredited and/or licensed and/or regulated?
• Are there different areas for resting, quiet play, creative play, and active play?
• Is there enough space for the children in each of these areas?
• Is there a daily balance of story time, activity time, and creative playtime?
• Are specific activities geared for each age group?
• Are there enough toys and learning materials for the number of children?
• Do the older children look stimulated and engaged?
• Do you agree with the way the center sets limits and consequences for the children?
• Do you hear the sounds of happy, engaged children?
• Are surprise visits by parents encouraged?
• Do you sense that your child will be happy there?
• From observing the older children, do you anticipate that the program will be appropriate for your child as he grows and enters the preschool years?

Relationship With the Family
• Are children and parents greeted when they arrive?
• Will the caregivers/teachers tell you what your child is doing every day?
• Will the caregivers/teachers speak to you about problems your child is having and ask if you are seeing those behaviors at home and, if so, ask what you’re doing about them?
• Will the caregivers/teachers share their solutions to problems your child is having with you?
• Will the caregivers/teachers share your baby’s progress and accomplishments each day?
• Are parents’ ideas welcome? Are there ways for you to be involved with the center?
• Does the center offer parenting education?
• Does the center offer special opportunities for the families?
• Is the staff familiar with local resources families may need and can they make referrals in a timely manner?

Health and Safety
• Are toxic substances such as cleaning supplies and pest killers kept away for children?
• Has the building been checked for dangerous substances such as radon, lead, and asbestos?
• Is poison control information posted?
• Does the center have an emergency plan if a child gets injured, sick, or lost?
• Does the center have first aid kits?
• Does the center have information about who to contact in an emergency?
• Does the center have a plan in case of fire, tornado, flood, blizzard, earthquake, or terrorist attack in the area?
• Does the center have practice drills once every month?
• Can the staff see each other at all times, so a child is never alone with one caregiver?
• Have all the caregivers gone through a background check?
• Have the caregivers been trained on how to prevent child abuse, how to recognize signs of child abuse, and how to report suspected child abuse?
• Does the center keep medications out of reach of children?
• Are caregivers trained to understand medication labels so that the right child gets the right amount of the right medication at the right time?
• Have caregivers been trained on how to keep children healthy and safe from injury and illness?
• Do caregivers know hot give first aid and CPR to young children and babies?
• Are all child care staff, volunteers, and substitutes informed of an implementing safe sleep policies (infants should sleep on their backs) to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)?
• Is there an outdoor play area? Is it fenced and secure? Does it have a variety of safe play equipment?
• Can the caregivers/teachers see the entire playground at all times?
• Are toys clean, safe, and within reach of the children and crawling babies?
• Is the eating area clean?
• Is there a sanitized, safe area for diaper changes?
• Do all caregivers and children wash their hands often, especially after eating, using the bathroom, or changing diapers?
• Do caregivers dispose of the diaper without dirtying any other surface, and do they clean and sanitize the surface after the changing process?
• Is the diaper changing area large enough to accommodate all of the babies in the center?
• Is there adequate supervision for other babies and toddlers when a staff member is changing a child’s diaper?
• Are appropriate snacks given during the day?

The success of your business lies only on your hands and starting your daycare business could be a make or break situation. If you are able to plan ahead and are able to prioritize things, your business venture would surely be a success. Otherwise, there is a tendency that all your efforts would be put to waste if you fail to meet the expectations of your clients as well as your self.

See: How to start a daycare center

How to Prevent Swine Flu in Child Day Care

Problems regarding break out news of the AH1N1 influenza strain more commonly known as the swine flu has continued to rise to international levels. As of the month of May, five thousand carriers of the swine flu have been reported by monitoring agencies such as the World Health Organization. Devastating news recently hit the racks as a Southern Dakota Daycare was ordered to close down because of an insurgence of Swine Flu in the facility.

The influenza virus is often contracted when an unwilling victim gets exposed to a surface, object or carrier that can transmit the virus. The flu can also transmit by touching of one mucous membranes such as your mouth and nose, without properly disinfecting your hands or removing bacteria. Parents and child care facilities must have a good understanding that children should be kept protected and watched over to avoid a contamination in a child care environment.

Children and their daycare provides should often wash their hands with soap and water, prior to a meal after using the bathroom facilities or after an outdoor activity Preventing the spread of swine flu is similar to preventing any kind of disease within the child care setting, there are several tips on how to secure your child care environment and protect children from the spread of germs and disease.

Practice good handwashing
Remember to encourage the use of soap and water to wash the children’s hands every after activity that exposes them to dirt such as playing eating and using the toilet. If water and soap is not available in the area, you can use a child safe hand sanitizer.

Child care providers should wash their hands on a regular basis especially when they have to handle infants as they are more prone to infection. Hand washing should be done before and after feeding, before cleaning a Childs face and changing diapers as well as after helping kids use the toilet.

Teach the children to wash their hands for a good 20 seconds normally by teaching them a song that they can sing to with that approximate time frame to ensure that their hands are thoroughly clean.

Supervise the children when using an alcohol based hand sanitizer. Remember that the smell of rubbing alcohol is hazardous to infants and should be avoided at all costs. Do not use alcohol based disinfectants for sensitive children.

Rinse appropriately every time you wash your hands as well as the children’s to make sure that all dirt and germs are washed away.

Ensure that the fingertips and surface in between the digits are inspected and cleaned to rule out harmful germ contamination

Adequate supplies of cleaning products is necessary
Always remember that the amount of available supplies to clean and sanitize the environment and yourself, are important and should be placed in strategic locations of the daycare facility.

For the diaper changing facility, make sure that there are a good set of disposable gloves that you can use and a proper dispensing mechanism since gloves and soiled diapers can be considered as bio hazard.

Remember to use products that have the seal of the Environmental Protection Agency or EPA such as registered disinfectants that have been tested to be child safe.

See: How to start a childcare service

How To Effectively Market your Day Care

You must know that no matter what business you get into, a marketing plan is needed. You should never rely on the fact that your business is highly in demand that you would not even dare to market your business. Especially when it comes to your day care, this is not a business which would instantly sell to the people. Or course, parents would always want to enroll their child in a trusted day care that will fully develop the skills of their child. You need to make sure that the parents see you as a trusted day care. These are the ways in which you will be able to market your day care effectively.

1. Drop by your neighbors’ house
Have flyers ready to give away when you do this. Make sure that you knock on the doors of neighbors and give these personally. This creates an impact on them as well as allow for a little conversation about your day care. Make flyers are straightforward as possible and do make it in color so that these will seem to be very fun flyers for the parents.

2. Hold an open house
When parents do want to visit your day care, have them visit your facility on a set date where they will be able to see and explore your day care. Serve snacks and drinks as well. They can also bring their children and have games prepared. Once they see how your day care is conducive to the child’s development, they will instantly have no more doubts and enroll their child.

3. Visit business establishments
Since your primary market are the working parents, you need to reach out to them. They need to know that your day care exists and they can leave their child their as they go to work. This will provide them with ease as well as less costs compared to a nanny or a baby sitter. You can work two ways by looking after their child as well as teaching their child certain lessons that they will need when they grow up.

4. Make a deal with the parents
When your current clients do you are favor, always reward them. This may be in a form of a special gift or a discount in your day care services. So you can ask them to refer you to a friend and each time you are referred to, you can give them a reward. Come on, parents love this so you should be able to make the most out of this advantage that you have.

These are the ways in which you can market your day care effectively. As you go along, you will realize that there are more ways in which you can market your business. Do as you wish as long as you do not forget that marketing is such a big factor for your business’s success. Never neglect its power and maximize everything that you need for your day care marketing. Good luck and in no time, you will reach your goals with the right marketing strategy.

See: How to start a daycare business

How to choose the Right Day Care Center for Your Child

Choosing the right day care for your child can be a difficult and scary task. As a parent, it is normal for you to get nervous when thinking that the protection of your child would be handed to a total stranger. However, to avoid feeling guilty of bringing your child in a day care center not fit for your child, it is highly important to plan ahead and do a research about the best child care center for your child. Here are some tips on how to decide which day care center deserves to entrust the care for your child.

Write down your expectations. When choosing the right daycare center for your child, you first need to know what you want to see in a day care center, and then make a list of all your expectations. In this way you can simply cross out the negative and positive qualities of the daycare center you will visit while looking for the right day care center for your child. You may consider the following:

Staff
• Do you want a day care facility that only hires staff that possesses enough experience and training in working with children?
• Do you want child care providers who have first aid classes?
• Does the staff practice good hygiene?

Facility and Safety
• Do you want a facility that obliges the staff to get immunizations against diseases?
• Does the day care center have clean work areas, adequate equipments and learning materials, and attractive and cozy room that your child would surely love?

Program
• Do you want a day care facility that has an organized schedule of educational program, or is it alright with you if your child just plays with other children and remains occupied?

General
• Do you want a facility that is long-standing in the business?
• Do you want a facility that is a part of a national group of day care or an exclusive one?

Ask your family and friends. One of the easiest ways to discover a day care facility that maybe right for you and your child is through word of mouth. Ask your family, friends, and coworkers about the best day care facility they know. If you have friends who have their children in day care centers, they can be a good source of information. However, be reminded that it is not enough to base your choice from a recommendation of a friend or someone you know. You still need to get a background check done before you can decide correctly. Check if the recommended day care center has license, and if it is a commercial facility, have a background check on the teachers that will be taking care of your child.

Check out the day care facility. To make you more assured that you have the right choice, spend time to visit the day care facility and check if the facility meets your expectation, and then consider the following: the cleanliness of the facility, safety and security, the child-teacher ratio, the children in the facility (are they healthy and happy?), and the kind of equipment and toys for the children of different ages.

See: How to start a childcare service

How to choose A Daycare For Your Child

One of the biggest and most major decisions that a responsible parent will ever have to make is which daycare they will leave their children at. It is best that the daycare provider will take care of your child as close as you have. It is a fact that all daycares can not love and care for your child the way you do, but still there are providers that can provide very good services compared to others.

1. Keep in mind that when you are deciding which daycare provider is the best for your child you have to ask relevant questions. It is a fact that parents give different levels of importance to various points in child care, but when it comes to choosing a daycare for their children, all parents come together in having some concerns on the same issues. It is good to hear recommendations from other people, but what is important to your friend, may not be that important to you.

2. One the basic things that you must learn as a parent are the differences between family care centres and group centres. Commercially facilitated daycare centres that have large groups of children are called group centres and enrol at least nine children. Daycare providers that do their services in houses only allow at the most six children.

3. The best way to check for the requirements to these two types of daycare centres is to get a listing of requirement from the social services office in your state. With this, you can also ask them for a lost of recommended daycare providers. Then there also those daycare providers that are licensed by the state.

What you need to know
Then after all this is done, you have to look into the ratio between adult and child. If the ratio is at the lower end, then that is better for your child because this means more attention will be focused on your child. One of the scenarios that a parent can not ever stand is that of their child not being attended to by a daycare worker because that person has to attend to a lot more children.

Another thing that you must put your concern on is the turnover of the staff. If the ratio of turnover is at a low number, then this is good for your child. This low rate of staff turnover means that the daycare provider has achieved stability.

The next thing that you want to know is the number of years the daycare provider has been in service.

The next thing that you must consider is if you agree in the daycare providers’ policies on children taking naps, giving discipline, breaktime, playing games and the way they teach the children.

Other concerns
There are some important areas that you need to look into. You can simply give these daycare providers’ a call and they will entertain your questions about these areas. These areas should include the background checks on the employees, the providers’ emergency policies and will the provider call the parents in case something happens to the child.

Visit: How to start a daycare center