Own a Daycare Blog » Starting a Day Care http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog Just another WordPress weblog Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:00:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 Free Printable Daycare Forms and Preschool Forms http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/free-printable-daycare-forms-and-preschool-forms http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/free-printable-daycare-forms-and-preschool-forms#comments Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:00:11 +0000 csnuggs http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/?p=1074 Related posts:]]> Home daycare providers can cut costs by finding daycare forms online. Contracts, policies, authorization forms, permission slips, daily reports, and other forms are critical to daycare business administration. Rather than creating forms from scratch, owners of child day care centers can print out important forms and customize them.

Consider the following resources for free and for cost daycare and preschool forms:

Free Daycare Forms

Supporting Providers:  Free forms, pintables, articles, and much more for your daycare business. Forms include business forms, registration forms, contracts, policies, reports, logs, health and medical forms, and authorization forms.

Step By Step Childcare: Step by Step Childcare provides free accident reports, accounting reports, sample brochures and flyers, business cards, contracts, daily reports, and daily schedules.

The Daycare Lady:   A wealth of free daycare business forms in Microsoft Word or PDF format, organized alphabetically.

Tiny Treasures Child Care: Here you will find a free financial contract, illness policy, discipline policy, daily schedule, notice of animals on premises, and character analysis record form.

Child Fun: Provides field trip permission slips, daily reports, medical forms, application form, and a sample contract.

Brown Bear Educare:  parent registration forms, medical forms, accident/incident reports, illness reports, baby and toddler daily reports, health care policy and disaster plan.

Child Care Lounge:  Great sample forms for daycare businesses such as permission to photograph, parent survey,” welcome to preschool” and  “please donate” letter, late payment notice, accident report, termination notice, and daily report sheets.

For Fee Daycare Forms

OwnADaycare: When you purchase Pro Package the you receive 40 custom daycare business forms that match the included website templates along with 10 additional commonly used daycare forms.

Child Care Village: With membership, you will receive access to 20 different customizable business forms. This includes introduction to new parents, enrollment forms, attendance forms, health and safety records, permission slips, and financial record keeping forms.

Daycare Hotline: For one low fee, you can purchase 34 important daycare forms including Attendance Forms, expense and income ledgers, mileage logs, statements, permission forms, daycare contracts, interview checklist, authorization forms, accident reports, announcement form letter, calendar template, daily schedule, meal planner, mission statement, and emergency authorization forms.

Child Care Paperwork: offers a survival package which includes daycare forms. When you purchase the package you will receive a Day Care Forms, Contracts and Policies Package. You will also receive five videos that show you how to fill in 12 forms that could be complicated. The package also includes a daycare business plan template.

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]]> http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/free-printable-daycare-forms-and-preschool-forms/feed 0 How to Create a Day Care or Child Care Contract Form http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/how-to-create-a-day-care-or-child-care-contract-form http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/how-to-create-a-day-care-or-child-care-contract-form#comments Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:00:02 +0000 csnuggs http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/?p=1043 Related posts:]]> A child care contract assures that there are no misunderstandings between you and your clients. It also protects you and your business from potential litigation. The contract states requirements and policies that both you and your clients must follow. A daycare contract form should include at least the following:

Hours of Operation: List the days and hours your child care center will be open for business.  Also detail any holidays you will be closed or any other days that the child day care center will be closed, if applicable.

Fees and Payments:  State the fees per week or month. Be explicit about whether or not sick days, holidays and vacation days are paid days. Some things to consider and disclose: When are weekly and month fees due? What are the consequences if fees are unpaid? (Termination? Suspension? ) How much will you charge for returned checks? How many returned checks will you allow before the client must pay in cash?

Arrival and Pick-Up Policies:  State your cut-off times for pick-up. Establish your late fees for late pickups. Also explain that only pre-authorized persons may pick up a child and that verbal and written permission must be received before a child may be picked up by an unauthorized person.

Illness Policies: Your contract should include a statement that explains when a child is too sick to attend daycare and how long the child must be symptom free before returning to daycare. Also detail your procedures for your course of action when a child becomes sick in daycare. You will also need to have a separate medical consent form in place. Also note what by time the parents must notify you if their child will not be attending daycare due to illness.

Withdrawal and Termination: What are the grounds for termination? What type and length of notice do you require for withdrawal from your daycare center? List that information in this section.

Damages: Sometimes children purposely break household items, toys, and other child care equipment. Who will pay for damages beyond the normal everyday wear and tear (when a child purposes to cause damages)? Your contract should be explicit about who will shoulder the burden of damages and repairs.

Toy Policies: Are children allowed to bring their own toys to your daycare center? What about other personal items of comfort like pillows or stuffed animals? State your policy here.

Potty Training and Diapering Policies:  In this section, detail whether or not you potty train and what your potty training philosophy might be. Do you supply diapers or pull-ups? Is there an extra fees associated with potty training? Do you allow cloth diapers?

Subsidies:  Does your childcare center participate in federal government programs that offer daycare subsidies? If so, state that any fees that are not covered by the subsidy are the parents’ responsibility and that fees are payable in advance on the first of day of the month.

The client (parent or guardian) and the childcare provider must sign and date the form.  Give a copy to the client and keep copy for yourself.

Related posts:

]]> http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/how-to-create-a-day-care-or-child-care-contract-form/feed 0 Insurance for Your Family In-home Daycare http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/insurance-for-your-family-in-home-daycare http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/insurance-for-your-family-in-home-daycare#comments Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:00:18 +0000 csnuggs http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/?p=1009 Related posts:]]> When you open your child care center, many of the rules and regulations you will be under are enforced by the state in which you live. Insurance requirements are one such regulation that varies from state to state. However, you should invest in insurance in order to protect yourself, your daycare business, your clients and your employees. It is wise for child care centers to invest in liability, structural, accident, health and workers’ compensation insurance.

Liability Insurance: Liability insurance will protect you in the event you are sued for damages. These damages could include child injuries, pet injuries, accidents, personal injury (libel, slander), damage to your own property, and damage to the property of others. The amount of coverage depends on the particular policy you select. There are other types of liability insurance to consider such as sexual abuse and liability insurance, child abduction liability, special events liability (fieldtrips, fundraisers, etc.) and corporal punishment. Daycare liability can be stand alone or an endorsement on your homeowner’s insurance.

Accident Medical Insurance:  Accident medical insurance is insurance that pays children’s medical bills if they are injured at your facility or during activities you sponsor and the child has no insurance coverage of their own, or their bills exceeds their current medical insurance coverage. Markel Insurance Company contends, “You can think of Accident Medical insurance as a goodwill gesture—by paying a child’s medical bills now, you may be able to avoid a lawsuit later”.

Health Insurance: You may want to provide health insurance for your employees. Many of the basic health insurance plans for employees are those in which your employees directly reimbursed a fixed amount for the services they use most frequently like doctor’s office visits, urgent care, diagnostic tests, hospitalization, and emergency room treatment.

Worker’s Compensation: Many states require that you purchase worker’s compensation insurance if your daycare center has employees.  If you do not have worker’s compensation insurance you may be punished with fines or imprisonment. The good news is that workers compensation premiums are tax deductible as a business expense.

Daycare Business Insurance Resources:

Daycare Insurance Agency Websites

Day Care Insurance Services, Inc.

Morgan & Associates, Inc.

Nationwide Mutual Insurance

Castle Rock Agency, Inc.

Markel Insurance Company

Daycare Insurance Guides

Family Child Care Legal and Insurance Guide: How to Reduce the Risks of Running Your Business by Tom Copeland, JD and Mari Miller [Redleaf, 2004]. This guide is specifically for child care providers to help them with insurance planning and strategies to reduce their daycare business’ risks.

The Business of Childcare: Management of Financial Strategies by Gail H Jack [Delmar Cenage Learning, 2004].  This guide covers a wide variety of financial strategies including how to comparison shop for different types of daycare business insurance.

Consult with the local licensing, regulations, and laws by state to find the insurance requirements for childcare centers.

Related posts:

]]> http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/insurance-for-your-family-in-home-daycare/feed 0 Things To Know About Opening Your Own Childcare Facility http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/things-to-know-about-opening-your-own-childcare-facility http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/things-to-know-about-opening-your-own-childcare-facility#comments Tue, 11 Aug 2009 00:08:29 +0000 Mary http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/?p=789 Related posts:]]> Opening your own child care facility is an interesting business venture that you might think of getting into. Children may seem easy to handle and if you love to be with kids, this may seem as your perfect dream job. Imagine working as your own boss, with flexible working hours, hand-picked staff and a lot more. This can instantly make your decision of setting up your day care facility. But is it really that simple? You might think that running a day care facility is the same as running a business which means that there are a lot of things which you need to keep in mind. If you want to know how you will be able to make your day care center a successful one, here are some of the steps which you might take.

The first thing that you should do and should never forget is to get your business license. Get your own copy of provincial or state application of a business license. There are guidelines which you need to follow in order for you to be eligible to open you own day care. You need to read through these before you apply. Getting license is very important since it gives your day care facility more credit. Parents will easily trust your day care facility when they see that you have a license. They will assume that your day care follows safety measure that are approved by the law so that their children are safe in your daycare. Even if there are some stated which do not really require you to get your own license, it is still best if you do.

When you are already ready to apply, you can now call up your licensing and planning department. It is important to know if they will allow you to open your own day care in your vicinity. Cases happen when people never really bother to ask and will then discover they have to close their business because of zoning bylaws. Of course you do not want this to happen to you.

If you have been allowed to do as you planned you must now proceed to your nest step. There are community colleges which offer courses on Early Childhood Education and Child Development. You will need these so that you will know how to deal with the children. There are certain departments which require you to take additional courses on child care so you need to comply with them. They may even recommend you to a school which offers a course suited to your needs. Besides from these educational courses, you need to obtain your own Child CPRS and First Aid Certificate. You should have your own since children are prone to accidents. It is important that you know how to take care of them in such events. Contact Red Cross and they can offer you with the proper training.

Get an insurance right away. You will need insurance for your business. Contact your insurance company and get an insurance that will include your business You need to insure your business and the children who enroll in your child care facility so make sure that you get the proper insurance.

Make a plan for your day care facility. It is very important to have an organized flow of daily activities for your day care. Make a set of policies which you and your staff will follow to ensure that you are running your business smoothly. You must be able to budget your time every day to ensure that the children are learning from your day care. You should make the most of each day with a number of activities that you have planned. From playing, studying napping and eating, each activity should have a schedule. A more organized day care will make it easier for you to reach your daily goals. You might want to refer to the internet since there are a lot of tips there which will help you in running your day care properly.

As the owner, it is important that you take care of your finances very well. You should have a financial plan that will make sure that they money you shell out will not be too much. Take note of all the expenses that you will need. Try not to make them too expensive. This will only cause you to incur losses rather than profit. So make sure that you monitor these things well. Planning your finances well will also help you in charging your customers. You don’t want to charge your customers with high fees because they might choose a cheaper day care. Make sure that you are charging the right amount for their services. This is why you need to make sure that your finances are really calculated.

You should be able to set up your day care facility depending on the number of children that you plan on accepting. You should be able to provide the right amount of free space for each child. If your day care is too crowded, you should rearrange the day care so that everyone has his own room to move. Besides from the space, you may need to ensure that your day care is safe for the child. The corners should be covered and sharp things should be kept away from them. This is very important since children are very explorative, you need to protect them from all the danger that they are exposed to.

When you are ready for operation, you need to make sure that you advertise your day care facility. You need to let the parents know that you are there to help them take care of their children. Do what it takes to let them know you exist. Post flyers, online, newspaper and bulletin ads about your day care. You do not have to spend so much on these things, just make sure that you are using effective advertising methods. You day care facility will make it big in no time.

See: How to start a daycare business

Related posts:

]]> http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/things-to-know-about-opening-your-own-childcare-facility/feed 0 Child Care – Positive Ways to Deal with Guilt http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/child-care-positive-ways-to-deal-with-guilt http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/child-care-positive-ways-to-deal-with-guilt#comments Tue, 04 Aug 2009 00:05:51 +0000 Mary http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/?p=767 Related posts:]]> Some parents, especially mothers, often feel a sense of guilt when they have to leave their child in day care centers. Those parents have no choice but to support their family financially so they have to work rigorously out of necessity. As a result, they make the very hard decision to leave their child in day care centers, outside their home, away from them at the time of their work. Because of these inevitable circumstances, many parents, especially mothers, can’t help but to feel guilty for leaving their children in the hands of childcare providers. Here are some approaches parents can follow to avoid feeling guilty:

Always keep in mind that it’s for your own child’s sake. The first thing that you should realize as a parent is that bringing your child/children to daycare is the best decision for you as a working parent and for your baby who needs attention and care. Disregard the old belief that babies should be taken care of only by their mothers until they become toddlers. This maybe true but because of financial needs, you as a parent still have to work and earn income for your family. Thus, do not feel guilty if you have to leave you child to child care providers. Without a doubt, children need attention, love, and care by their parents but babies can still form relationships and attain those emotional needs even with other people who sincerely care for them. As long as the child care giver gives much attention and quality day care for your child, you can be assured that your child will be happy with the company of other children in day care centers where he could learn self-control, language skills and social skills.

Choose day care center wisely. Since you would be putting the care and security of your child in the hands of ‘strangers,’ it is important to choose carefully which day care center you will place your baby into. Make sure that the child care center you selected is highly reputable in giving child care and it has no any record of child abuses. Choosing the right day care center for your child is critical since this is where your child will learn communication skills, social skills through playing with other kids, and basic skills in math and English. Make sure that in day care your child has enjoyable and fun experiences.

Find some balance. You can make up for the time you leave your child in day care through slowing down the process of getting your child ready in the morning. While preparing for your breakfast, try to build much closer relationship with your child through talking to him, telling him short stories, and by just hugging and frequently kissing him while telling him how much you love him. Explain to him why you need to send him in day care and why you need to work. Tell him all the nice things he will learn and experience in day care. If he loves to sing, then sing with him. Also, tell him jokes as you both of you laugh together.

When it’s your time to drop your child off to the day care center, give him something that is special for him, like his comfort food or his favorite stuffed toy. It will not only make your child happy but it will also give him a sense of security while he is in the day care center.

See: How to start a childcare center

Related posts:

]]> http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/child-care-positive-ways-to-deal-with-guilt/feed 0 Opening A Day Care Center Owned By Single Moms http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/opening-a-day-care-center-owned-by-single-moms-2 http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/opening-a-day-care-center-owned-by-single-moms-2#comments Fri, 31 Jul 2009 00:25:30 +0000 Mary http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/?p=759 Related posts:]]> Most single moms are often faced with the decision whether to choose between their job and their child. Single moms need to earn money in order for her and her child to survive. At the same time, they also do not want to miss the moments that are essential for her child like their first walk and first time to talk. These are the simple joys which mothers enjoy when taking care of their child. If single moms are working, it will quite be hard to monitor the progress of their child.

If you are a single mom and is faced with this dilemma, you do not need to worry because you can now have the best of both worlds. You can work at the same time monitor the development your child as he grows up. Opening a home-based day care center is the best solution that you will have. You do not have to leave your home to work.

This may seem an expensive business venture that you will take. It is true that opening a day care business requires a lot of capital to start with. Of course, you need to have your place renovated to make it child-friendly. The corners and sharp edges of some fixtures in your home should be covered to protect the children from danger. Also, depending on the number of children that you will take care of, you may need to expand your day care. After this, you need to consider the costs for the toys, learning materials and other things that will be helpful for the children. If you do not have adequate funds, then you might have a hard time operating your own cleaning business.

If money becomes an issue for you, you will now be able to open your own day care center without worrying about it. There are grants which are given to single moms. If this will be approved, a single mom will be able to open her own day care business without having to spend anything. This has been made available since the government is aware that childcare is really important in the society. Children need all the childcare services that they can have. So the government is ensuring that there are enough quality childcare services available.

Applying for this grant is the same as any other business grants out there. You need to apply and pass the requirements of the government. Make sure that you make a sensible and realistic business plan. If you are new to this field, there are college grants which are given to single moms in order to be able to acquire enough knowledge and training when it comes to education in childcare. When the grant has been approved, you can now start with your day care business.

Owning your own day care business will allow you to work on your own schedule. This will allow you to enjoy your own personal freedom and will be able to take care of your child more often. Through these grants, the government has really provided a way for parents to earn money as well as be able to take care of their children.

See: How to start a daycare Center

Related posts:

]]> http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/opening-a-day-care-center-owned-by-single-moms-2/feed 0 Why Become a Day Care Provider? http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/why-become-a-day-care-provider http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/why-become-a-day-care-provider#comments Mon, 13 Jul 2009 10:12:30 +0000 Mary http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/?p=705 Related posts:]]> Are you very passionate with children? Do you dream of a job having to work with kids? Handling kids, aside from being a big responsibility, is a very daunting task. Childcare providers foster and teach children in childcare centers, pre-schools, public schools, childcare homes, private households and some other places.

Besides having basic education and passion for teaching, childcare workers must have high level of patience and endurance in handling kids. Nowadays, many theories are being raised on teaching and child-rearing methods. There have been ongoing controversies on what method best be used and the facilities helpful in childcare. Thus, childcare workers must know all matters about childcare and the fundamentals of tending to children of all ages, ranging from infants to school-goers.

A day care provider, be it a director or part of the teaching staff, must complete the basic training to get a license in childcare service. He, also, will be needing a national certification in paediatric CPR and First-Aid to ensure that safety and emergency medical aid will be provided for children at all times more importantly for day care centers located away from any health care facility. When the place takes quite long for an ambulance to reach, initial medical treatment must be provided when necessary. This is in line on keeping the children safe and healthy.

The Red Cross organizes training programs about attending to emergency and medical aid to those far from hospitals. Having basic training about this matter increases your chances in getting a hold of the job.

Other qualifications include having a degree in secondary education about child development or psychology. Universities and colleges offer day care programs that are very useful when applying for a childcare job. It is important, however, for any licensed daycare service provider to have proof of continuing education credits to qualify for their license. This proves that they are interested in being informed of the latest in childcare and the more advanced techniques in handling children. This involves attending seminars, conferences and other activities that keep them abreast about the newest trends in childcare. This means gaining more knowledge in the field and thus suggests more advantage to your side.

Need for Child Day Care Providers
The number of working women is now continually increasing. Also families having both parents working is increasing thus they do not have so much time looking after their children. Most of the parents are too busy are too busy to attend to the needs of their kids. Thus they look for professional that can do the childcare task for them while they are away. There is a rise therefore in the demand of child care services.

Children interact with the child care professional several hours a day. Parents, therefore, are looking for the person of good influence and who can help in the growth of their child’s emotional, intellectual and social aspect. They choose someone who is responsible enough and is very passionate with kids. Before going to work, they need an assurance that they will be leaving their kids in good hands and that their kids will be properly tended to.

Daily Life of a Childcare Worker

Here is what a child day care worker does in a typical day.

• Prepare a schedule of activities for the day
• Plan and Organize the activities
• Serve snacks
• Ensure that the children properly eat their meals
• Play with the kids
• Clean the playrooms
• Accompany children when going to toilets
• Tell stories
• Teach children
• Maintain the sanitation of the center
• Handle emergencies

Childcare workers do not only work for preschool children and toddlers but also for older kids after school. They also handle and feed the infants and play with the babies. Also part of the job is teaching the children and helping them complete their homework.

Abilities, Skills & Personal Qualities of a Child Day Care Professional

1. Responsible
2. Disciplined
3. Dependable
4. Creative
5. Can efficiently handle kids
6. Can handle emergencies
7. Good Business sense
8. Physically strong
9. High level of patience
10. Cooperate well with parents

Why is a Childcare Training Necessary?

Being in a daycare business, knowledge of proper childcare and assistance is essential. Your staff must receive effective training on handling children and must be well-informed of their needs. In undergoing the training you will learn tips on running day care centers, know about child psychology and acquire skills beneficial to your business.

Here are some of the things you learn in a day care training course.

1. Nutritional needs
2. Child psychology
3. Child development
4. Socialization
5. Storytelling
6. Crafts & Painting
7. Creative play
8. Precautions
9. Children’s Rights UN Convention
10. Emergency care and First aid
11. Quality Assurance

Many colleges offer courses on childcare management but choose one that would not just give proper training but will also help you find a job. Consider the following things in choosing a childcare course.

1. Is the diploma you will be receiving accredited?
2. Will the course or program aid you in running your own day care center?
3. Is the faculty credible and experienced?
4. Do they have internship programs?
5. Will they assist you in finding a job after the program end?
6. What career opportunities do they offer?

In the previous year, 1.5 million jobs were given to childcare workers. Around 40% of them were self-employed and others worked part-time. Here is a list of the organization that employs child care professionals.

1. Child Daycare services
2. Social and civic organizations
3. Educational services
4. Individual and family services
5. Recreation and amusement industries
6. Primary educational services
7. Residential care and nursing facilities

The salary of the Child Care professional is dependent on the set-up he is working in. It usually ranges from $20,000 to $40,000 a year. With experience and specialization, he can sooner be the director of the child care service and earnings will be of a much higher value.

Job involving kids is very demanding yet truly fulfilling. Since there’s a growing need for responsible and skilled child care providers, getting a course about childcare service management is a very practical step.

See: How to start a daycare center

Related posts:

]]> http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/why-become-a-day-care-provider/feed 0 Opening A Day Care Center Owned By Single Moms http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/opening-a-day-care-center-owned-by-single-moms http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/opening-a-day-care-center-owned-by-single-moms#comments Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:38:03 +0000 Mary http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/?p=699 Related posts:]]> Most single moms are often faced with the decision whether to choose between their job and their child. Single moms need to earn money in order for her and her child to survive. At the same time, they also do not want to miss the moments that are essential for her child like their first walk and first time to talk. These are the simple joys which mothers enjoy when taking care of their child. If single moms are working, it will quite be hard to monitor the progress of their child.

If you are a single mom and is faced with this dilemma, you do not need to worry because you can now have the best of both worlds. You can work at the same time monitor the development your child as he grows up. Opening a home-based day care center is the best solution that you will have. You do not have to leave your home to work.

This may seem an expensive business venture that you will take. It is true that opening a day care business requires a lot of capital to start with. Of course, you need to have your place renovated to make it child-friendly. The corners and sharp edges of some fixtures in your home should be covered to protect the children from danger. Also, depending on the number of children that you will take care of, you may need to expand your day care. After this, you need to consider the costs for the toys, learning materials and other things that will be helpful for the children. If you do not have adequate funds, then you might have a hard time operating your own cleaning business.

If money becomes an issue for you, you will now be able to open your own day care center without worrying about it. There are grants which are given to single moms. If this will be approved, a single mom will be able to open her own day care business without having to spend anything. This has been made available since the government is aware that childcare is really important in the society. Children need all the childcare services that they can have. So the government is ensuring that there are enough quality childcare services available.

Applying for this grant is the same as any other business grants out there. You need to apply and pass the requirements of the government. Make sure that you make a sensible and realistic business plan. If you are new to this field, there are college grants which are given to single moms in order to be able to acquire enough knowledge and training when it comes to education in childcare. When the grant has been approved, you can now start with your day care business.

Owning your own day care business will allow you to work on your own schedule. This will allow you to enjoy your own personal freedom and will be able to take care of your child more often. Through these grants, the government has really provided a way for parents to earn money as well as be able to take care of their children.

See: How to start a daycare center

Related posts:

]]> http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/opening-a-day-care-center-owned-by-single-moms/feed 0 Opening A Day Care Center? Go For A Regional Day Care http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/opening-a-day-care-center-go-for-a-regional-day-care http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/opening-a-day-care-center-go-for-a-regional-day-care#comments Mon, 06 Jul 2009 00:37:52 +0000 Mary http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/?p=682 Related posts:]]> If you are planning to open a day care center, go for it! This is the best option that you will have if you just want to stay home and work at the same time. A regional day care is a more profitable option when it comes to this line of business. Besides from the profit that you can gain, you will be able to enjoy more benefits with this.

Regional support will always help you in your business. By working with them, you will be able to have more parents who will contact you. They will be in charge of referring your day care to parents who need your services. This will make business good with a constant supply of customers. This ensures your incomes flow will be constant.

A registration package is very important when it comes to your business. Your regional support will provide the parents with documents that parents should sign. This will allow you and the parents to have a set of guidelines that will make sure that the children are safe. These contracts will provide a clearer idea for you and the parents on taking care of their children. If there are any complaints, you will have a reference so that things will be settled easier.

You will be checked on a regular basis to make sure that your day care center complies with the guidelines set by your regional supporter. This will ensure you that your day care center is a safe place for the children. If there is anything wrong, they will be able to tell you before you can cause accidents to the children.

If you are unsure if you can handle the children well, then you do not need to worry. You, as well as your staff will be provided with training and workshops. You will know more about childcare if you undergo training. You will also be ready should unexpected events like accidents will happen. This can be advantageous because panicking in such events will do you no good. This will make you confident that your childcare center will provide the best care there is. This is completely free so you can save a lot of money compared to attending outside training workshops.

The number of children enrolled in your day care center will equate to the profit that you will gain in this business. You will get paid $37 per child on the average. This increases your profit compared to owning your private day care business. You can earn up to $8,000 more when you operate a regional day care center.

Not only does a regional day care center earn more than a private day care, but it also has more advantages to it. You get more than what you will expect from owning your own day care. So if you are planning on opening a day care center, go for a regional one rather than a private one. This will definitely make you successful in your business.

See: How to start a daycare center

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]]> http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/opening-a-day-care-center-go-for-a-regional-day-care/feed 0 Income Tax Deductions and Childcare http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/income-tax-deductions-and-childcare http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/income-tax-deductions-and-childcare#comments Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:42:17 +0000 Mary http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/?p=662 Related posts:]]> It is imperative to know that the federal government issues a reduction of your taxes in three different ways.

• When you have a dependent child / children, your taxes can be lessened. A dependent is any person of minor age who is living with you for more than half of the year. In addition, a dependent is one whom you give a half of your expenses to provide his or her needs.

• Families who acquire a low annual income can acquire a credited tax amounting to two thousand dollars or more.

• The different expenses that you have incurred while simultaneously working and raising a child or looking for a work while raising a child can also reduce up to one thousand one hundred forty dollars of your income tax.

To be able to get these benefits, you should be able to have the following documents and identification cards:
- Receipts (either weekly or monthly)
- Canceled checks if present
- Statement from childcare provider
- Tax ID number or social security ID number

It is important that you have all these requirements in order for you to avail of the income tax deductions.

Nutrition and Childcare
To guarantee that a child is given enough nutrition that he needs each day, the federal government has come up with menu guidelines that daycare centers are usually required following. This is because half of the necessary nutrients that the child needs are provided to him by the daycare centers. The menu guideline classifies the needed food intake by age.

Ages 1 – 3
• 1 ounce of protein (cheese, or beans, and meat or eggs)
• ¼ cup of vegetables
• ¼ cup fruits or ½ cup of fruit juice
• 1 ½ cup of milk
• 2 slices of bread

Ages 4 – 6
• 1 ½ ounce meat and/or egg
• ½ cup of vegetables
• ½ cup of fruit
• 1 ½ cup of milk
• 2 slices of bread

Ages 7 and up
• 2 ounce meat and/or egg
• 1 cup of cooked beans and/or 3 ounce cheese
• ¾ cup of fruits
• ¾ cup of vegetables
• 1 ½ cup of milk
• 2 slices of bread

Daycare centers that strictly follow these menu guidelines are able to receive subsidies from the government provided that they present the needed paperwork.

Smoking, Drug Use, Alcohol and Childcare
It is very important that the parent is guaranteed that their child is in good hands when entering a daycare center. Therefore, certain actions are regulated. Inside the premises of the childcare center, smoking is usually prohibited. Some daycare centers allow people to smoke only outside the building. As provided in the state law, drug use is also prohibited. When an employee is under the influence of alcohol or drugs, he or she is not permitted to work. If this happens, that certain employee may very well be terminated. Before enrolling your child in daycare, make sure that the premises of the childcare center are far from a harmful environment.

For more info: How to start a childcare business

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