A childcare business is a great way to earn a living if you enjoy working with children. There are two options for running a childcare business. If you want to care for a large amount of children, your best option is to start a center-based business. Those with children of their own, or who want to work from home, may want to consider a home-based, or family, childcare center. Read further to learn how to open a childcare business.
Method One of Two:
Center-Based Childcare Business
1
Attend a licensing orientation to learn the rules and regulations of running a center-based childcare center in your community. Every community has different regulations that must be followed or you risk losing your license. This should be done before choosing a location for setting up your center, as there may be rules pertaining to distance from liquor stores, bars or clubs. You can learn about licensing orientations by contacting your local municipal center.
2
Determine how many children you are going to care for and the age groups you will service. This will determine how many square feet your center needs to be, both indoors and outdoors, as well as how much staff you will need to hire. The information on square footage and staff-child ratio will be provided to you at the licensing orientation.
3
Choose the building you will use to run your center based childcare. Take into consideration the childcare need in the area you are planning to run your business. To find this information, research the census information for the neighborhood you are considering and look at the age groups and financial information. When selecting the building, verify that the plumbing, food preparation areas, ventilation, lighting and emergency exits meet the licensing requirements for your city and state. It is recommended to have the building inspected for building, sanitation, zoning and fire codes before signing a lease or purchase agreement.
4
Fulfill your licensing requirements. These may include a health physical, immunizations, tuberculosis testing, background check, fingerprinting, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and first aid certification, and preventative health and safety class.
5
Prepare your center for inspection. Preparation may consist of installing cabinet locks, setting up changing tables if you are servicing infants and/or toddlers, putting up smoke detectors and inserting electrical outlet covers. You may also need to post an emergency evacuation plan and material safety data sheets (MSDS). If your center passes inspection, you will obtain your child care license. If you do not pass the first time, you will be given an opportunity to correct the errors and arrange to be inspected again.
6
Hire people to staff your childcare center. Be careful when selecting your staff, as they will be working in close contact with the children. It is advisable to conduct complete background investigations and ensure the staff is up to date on their immunizations.
Method Two of Two:
Home-Based Childcare Business
1
Schedule a family childcare orientation with your local licensing department. This is where you will learn how to open a childcare business out of your home while meeting the requirements of your city and state. You will also be given an application packet that you must complete in order to obtain your background check.
2
Read the lease if you rent a home or live in an apartment. Some companies or individuals have a clause in their lease regarding home-based childcare centers in order to protect their property.
3
Complete your immunizations and other required tests to get your license. This may include a health physical and/or tuberculosis test. Caring for children requires a lot of bending, moving and lifting, so you must be in good physical health.
4
Childproof your home. These measures include locking cabinets, moving poisons and sharp objects out of reach, covering sharp corners and inserting electrical outlet covers. Verify that the outdoor play area is safe for children by checking for uncovered wells, poisonous or sharp plants such as cacti, and that access to the road is blocked.
5
Arrange for your home inspection. If you pass the home inspection the first time and have completed your application packet and background investigation, you will be granted your license. If you did not pass, you can arrange for another inspection after completing the errors.
Method One of Two:
Center-Based Childcare Business
1
Attend a licensing orientation to learn the rules and regulations of running a center-based childcare center in your community. Every community has different regulations that must be followed or you risk losing your license. This should be done before choosing a location for setting up your center, as there may be rules pertaining to distance from liquor stores, bars or clubs. You can learn about licensing orientations by contacting your local municipal center.
2
Determine how many children you are going to care for and the age groups you will service. This will determine how many square feet your center needs to be, both indoors and outdoors, as well as how much staff you will need to hire. The information on square footage and staff-child ratio will be provided to you at the licensing orientation.
3
Choose the building you will use to run your center based childcare. Take into consideration the childcare need in the area you are planning to run your business. To find this information, research the census information for the neighborhood you are considering and look at the age groups and financial information. When selecting the building, verify that the plumbing, food preparation areas, ventilation, lighting and emergency exits meet the licensing requirements for your city and state. It is recommended to have the building inspected for building, sanitation, zoning and fire codes before signing a lease or purchase agreement.
4
Fulfill your licensing requirements. These may include a health physical, immunizations, tuberculosis testing, background check, fingerprinting, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and first aid certification, and preventative health and safety class.
5
Prepare your center for inspection. Preparation may consist of installing cabinet locks, setting up changing tables if you are servicing infants and/or toddlers, putting up smoke detectors and inserting electrical outlet covers. You may also need to post an emergency evacuation plan and material safety data sheets (MSDS). If your center passes inspection, you will obtain your child care license. If you do not pass the first time, you will be given an opportunity to correct the errors and arrange to be inspected again.
6
Hire people to staff your childcare center. Be careful when selecting your staff, as they will be working in close contact with the children. It is advisable to conduct complete background investigations and ensure the staff is up to date on their immunizations.
Method Two of Two:
Home-Based Childcare Business
1
Schedule a family childcare orientation with your local licensing department. This is where you will learn how to open a childcare business out of your home while meeting the requirements of your city and state. You will also be given an application packet that you must complete in order to obtain your background check.
2
Read the lease if you rent a home or live in an apartment. Some companies or individuals have a clause in their lease regarding home-based childcare centers in order to protect their property.
3
Complete your immunizations and other required tests to get your license. This may include a health physical and/or tuberculosis test. Caring for children requires a lot of bending, moving and lifting, so you must be in good physical health.
4
Childproof your home. These measures include locking cabinets, moving poisons and sharp objects out of reach, covering sharp corners and inserting electrical outlet covers. Verify that the outdoor play area is safe for children by checking for uncovered wells, poisonous or sharp plants such as cacti, and that access to the road is blocked.
5
Arrange for your home inspection. If you pass the home inspection the first time and have completed your application packet and background investigation, you will be granted your license. If you did not pass, you can arrange for another inspection after completing the errors.
How to Open a Child Care Business
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