Starting your own in Home Childcare Business
Starting a childcare business out of your home is no simple matter. There is time and effort involved to create a successful business. Many people fail to see, as in any other business, much work needs to be done before opening your doors. The childcare business is not for everyone. You need to have the right mentality and patience to deal with your clients; in this case children (do not forget their parents). If successful, you will find working with children has its many rewards. You are shaping their lives in many ways possible and don't forget you are making money doing so.
In this article, I will be providing you with tips and helpful information on starting your in-home childcare business. I have been in this business for several years. I do admit the beginning was tough since I had no clue what I was doing, but I knew what I wanted to accomplish. Coming across articles like this one would have saved me time and effort.
I hope you find this article helpful in starting your next endeavor.
Are you up to it
Whether you are a stay at home mom, grandmother or someone who wants to start a childcare business; you will need to think long and hard before taking on this new adventure. Sure, it is great to be able to stay home and at the same time make money, but you need to ask yourself these questions.
Do you like children? This is a common sense question especially with anyone thinking of working with children. Not all children are sweet little angels that will do as they are told. On the contrary, children come in all shapes and sizes including their temperaments. Having a good understanding on how to deal with different personalities will save you a lot of frustration down the line. Invest a little of your time researching this topic and get comfortable on the way you will handle any situations that might arise.
Can you handle the dirty job? Children are messy in nature and carry lots of germ with them that are easy transferable to others. Are you willing to clean up after children that are not yours? Can you change stinky dirty diapers and clean up throw up? I know it is harder to do when they are not your children, but over time you will get use to it.
Is your family on board? Family involvement is very important since most of your day will be used up to take care of other children. Whether you have little ones at home or older ones; it is always difficult for them to share their mom or things with others. Depending on the hours that you are open, running errands or taking your children to activities during the day will not be an easy task. Your spouse will need to pick up any extra chores or activities that need to be done. Doing it all on your own without support is difficult. Be sure your family is involved in your decisions.
Research your Market
This is very important to do for anyone thinking of starting their own business. If you live in a community with mostly senior citizens; having an in-home childcare business might not be the best thing. Clients might be sparse and attracting them to your business will be difficult. In this case maybe having in-home elderly day care would make better sense. Another scenario that you may encounter is, living in the outskirts of the city. Your clientele will drop since most of them will not be traveling there unless if they already live there or there are major employers located near you. I have a sister and law who is also a childcare provider. She lives in the outskirts of a major city and has a difficult time getting clients. Competition is also heavy where she lives.
That brings me to the next topic which is competition. Find out who does childcare in your area and network with other local providers. Many times if someone is full they might refer clients to you. Ask around for the going rate in your area. Pricing yourself too high might not bring you any clients and pricing too low might make people wonder what type of provider you are.
Know the Rules
Each state is different so know the rules and regulations for your in-home business in the state you reside. I will speak directly of Arizona regulations regarding childcare since I reside in Arizona.
In the state of Arizona, you are able to care for up to 4 children for compensation and 2 not for compensation in your home without being regulated by the state or counties. Therefore, you can have 6 children in care including your own. Here is an example; you have two of your own children and you are caring for 4 additional children for compensation. That mixture makes up your 6 children and you can no longer accept any more children for compensation or not for compensation. Children 12 years old and under count into this ratio; anyone older you do not include. Of course, if you are not being regulated by any agency, how will they know if you care for more than the ratio allows? Well, the state does not know unless if a complaint is filed against you.
You are able to obtain a license for your in-home childcare that is regulated by the state. Some parents prefer that you are licensed. You will need to obtain a fingerprint card, background check and TB tested for yourself and any members of your household of the age 18 and over. CPR and First aids certification need to be obtained. You will also have your home thoroughly inspected for safety, health and fire. Don't forget any fees that you may incur associated with your business are tax deductible.
Arizonans can go through the Department of Economic Security or through the Department of Health Services to obtain more information on getting regulated. The Department of Economic Securities follows the same ratios as a home not being regulated. If you are looking to care for more children for compensation you will need to get licensed through the Department of Health Services. Their ratios are as follow: one provider can care for 5 children for compensation and 2 not for compensation. If you get a helper you can care for 10 children for compensation and 5 not for compensation. Your house will be inspected several times a year to be sure it is in compliance by one of the agencies. For more information you can visit The Department of Economic Security athttps://egov.azdes.gov/cmsinternet/main.aspx?menu=128&id=2700&ekmensel=15074e5e_128_0_2700_8or The Department of Health Services athttp://www.azdhs.gov/als/childcare/index.htm.
Again, you do not need to be licensed to be a childcare provider. If you would like to be more marketable to your clients and not be licensed; simply apply for a fingerprint card and take CPR and First aid classes. This will give your clients more confidence in you for leaving their children in your care.
Last, you will need to obtain added liability insurance for your childcare in case anyone in your care gets hurts. Talk to your insurance company or broker to get more information.
Where to market your business
The easiest way to advertise your business is word of mouth. Tell your neighbors, family and friends to see if anyone needs your services. You can even create fliers and post them around your community or in your church.
Another option is using the internet. There are many free sites that let you post your services. Here are some; www.craiglist.org, www.care.com, www.sittersity.com, www.mammasource.com, etc As always be careful about putting any personal information on these sites. If you get a lead, get a feel for the person before giving them your address.
A third option is going through an agency. There are many agencies that are willing to provide your information to prospective clients at no cost. A popular one in Arizona is Child Care Resource and Referral. Many of them might have some requirements for you to complete before being added to their database.
Once established, your own clients might tell other potential clients about your services as well.
Additional Services
Take advantage of anything that comes your way that might benefit your business. One example that I am glad I joined was the Association for Support of Child Care. The organization is set up in Arizona to help childcare providers. One of the programs offer is the Food Program. Providers get reimburse for the food they provide to the children; in some cases even their own children. Many states have similar programs so research these options. Another helpful program is Nino en mi Casa. This program helps beginner childcare providers on starting their business and getting license through DES. The website for ASCC ishttp://www.asccaz.org/support1.html.
Get involved with other providers for support and help. You can either find other providers in your area or go online and look for forums or websites promoting childcare. A good site to visit is ccvillage.com. Having a good support system is beneficial especially when problems arise. Knowing how other providers are handling the problem will allow you to make a better decision.
In conclusion, I hope you had found some helpful information in starting your in-home childcare business. I wish you the best of luck and have fun!
