Starting a Home Day Care

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There are many aspects to consider when you are starting a home day care.
You must pay careful attention to all state requirements for licensing, insurance, and training.
You also need to think about how you will care for children on a daily basis, and how this will affect your family.
Will you have the energy and patience to care for someone else's kids as well as your own? Will you still have time left to spend with your family and friends? If you cannot successfully accomplish this, you will quickly become overwhelmed.
If you and your family decide you can handle the complications that may arise, as well as the loss of privacy in your home, then you need to contact Human Services to find out how to become licensed.
What are your state's requirements for starting a home day care? You will need to know how many children you will be allowed to care for, what training your state requires, and what requirements your home must meet.
Your home will have to pass an inspection, and if anything needs to be corrected you will be given a certain amount of time to comply before receiving approval for starting your home day care.
You will want to have plenty of toys and activities for the children to play with.
You can usually find art supplies, books, puzzles, and some small toys at dollar stores.
Thrift stores or flea markets are a great place to look as well.
Just make sure that these are still safe and that you clean and disinfect them well.
Swing sets and other outdoor toys should be carefully inspected for safety.
Before starting a home day care, you also need to set out clear policies and regulations.
If everyone knows the rules up front everything will run much smoother.
This will help avoid confusion, as well as to let parents know that you are professional and responsible.
Make sure these are signed and dated by all parties involved prior to caring for any children.
You will also need to collect insurance and contact information in case of an emergency.
You should have at least a brief medical history so you are aware of any allergies or potential problems.
You need authorization to seek emergency medical attention.
You will also need a disaster plan so that if the unthinkable happens, you and the parents will be able to get in touch.
All of these things should be kept in a clearly marked file with the signed policies, and should be readily available when needed.
Starting a home day care will also require a good meal plan.
You will need to provide a nutritious lunch as well as healthy snacks.
You must decide if, depending on your hours, you will provide breakfast or ask that the kids be fed before they arrive.
You may consider looking into nutritional programs to help defray food expenses.
If you cannot get state or federal assistance with this, consider buying in bulk.
Just make sure that you will be able to use anything you buy.
It won't do you any good to buy ten pounds of peanut butter only to find out that none of the kids like it! Also be sure to consider any food allergies or special diets when planning your meals.
While starting a home day care may mean a lot of work in the beginning, it can be well worth it for the right person.
With plenty of patience, determination, and creativity you can quickly build a successful business.
Starting a home day care can be very rewarding, both financially and emotionally, but it may be stressful as well.
So don't forget to relax and have fun with the wonderful children you are caring for.
© CG Groth Inc 2007
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