If you are thinking of putting up a daycare business but are intimidated by the possible cost of buying the materials and supplies needed plus the cost of renting a place for your daycare center business, you can stop worrying now. There is a place that you don't have to rent for your daycare center - your home.
Running a daycare center right in your home will bring you extra income while at the same time you are taking good care of your own children. By having other children in your home will give your own children playmates and friends while at the same time you are earning money.
First thing to consider is what part of your house should be devoted to the daycare center. Definitely, you are not going to devote the whole house to the daycare center as you will want to preserve the privacy of some parts of the house. After deciding which portion of the house will be for the daycare center, the next step is to renovating such area so it will fit into the requirements of the business. You will need later to purchase books, supplies, toys and foods for the children you will be caring for.
After getting your house ready for the daycare center, the next step is to familiarize yourself with the rules and regulations governing daycare centers in your state. Be familiar with the required ratio of children to the caregivers so if you intend to accept a number of children beyond what you are legally allowed to care for, you should be ready to recruit and hire additional caregivers.
After knowing all the requirements and having everything ready in your home daycare center, you will have to apply for a license for your home-based daycare center. You cannot legally operate your daycare center with the state license and no parents will entrust their children to you unless you can show your license or accreditation.
Budgeting is an important aspect of your operation that you have to pay attention to as this will enable you to come up with the amount you will be charging your clients. Remember that you started your business in order to make profit so you should not be operating on the losing end. You should not be spending on supplies, utilities, and food more than what your clients are paying you.
Protect yourself and the children you are caring for by having contracts with their parents. The contract should include the amount of money the clients should pay you and the extent of services you are going to give them.
Getting liability insurance will cover you in case of any accidental injury or death in the daycare center. Children are accident-prone and no amount of caution on the part of the caregivers can totally eliminate the risk of accidents. In the eventuality of such accident, your insurance will cover the medical expenses as well as any other damages that you may be found liable to pay for later.
Running a daycare out of your house is no easy endeavor but it is doable as long as you do your research and you work hard.
For more:
How to start a daycare Center by StartADaycare.org
