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Home
> Provider Services > Starting
a Child Care Center Program
Understanding
the Community
Business
Issues
Facilities and Equipment
Running a child
care center is first and foremost running a very busy small
business. But it's much more than that -- it's making a commitment
to be a vital part of the holistic development of other families'
children. The successful child care manager wears many hats: early
childhood educator, business manager, fiscal administrator, safety
and health officer, and building architect, among others. We
understand that you'll have your hands full with each of these big
jobs. Here's a guide through some of the necessary steps in starting
and running a center.
Understanding
the Community
Determining Need
The first step in starting a new center is learning if there
is need in the community for child care. First, find out what types
of child care are currently available in your community, by talking
with us, as well as town or city government offices, or the state
licensing office. Informally, you can check your local Yellow Pages,
parents' newspapers, and other publications for advertisements that
will give you an idea of how many centers are already in business.
When gathering this information, you
should focus on:
- Total number of centers in the
community, and ages of children being offered care
- Hours offered by other centers,
whether early morning or evening care is offered, and
availability of part-time or flexible care
- Whether centers have waiting lists
or a lot of vacancies
- Location of available centers
Community
Demographics
You can get a good overview of your community from talking
with us, by looking at recent census data, and/or by surveying local
parents. Demographic information can help you estimate the number of
working families with young children in the community, where they
live, and their likely income and child care tuition payments.
Options in a Competitive
Environment
If you discover that other centers have many vacancies --
or, conversely, are experiencing difficulty in hiring qualified
staff -- you may then revise your business plan to address the
competitive environment.
Some options to differentiate your
program include:
- Providing care in a different
community with higher demand and lower supply (where centers
have a low vacancy rate)
- Providing non-traditional hours of
care not offered by other centers (e.g., evening/weekend care,
or overnight care)
- Providing higher quality care and
paying higher wages than other centers (e.g., hiring
well-educated, experienced staff)
- Offering a type of program or
service not previously offered in the community (e.g., a
Montessori or school-age care program, or mildly-ill child care)
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Business
Issues
Every
center needs to pay close attention to the business of child care,
even if the center is run as a nonprofit. Good management is
essential to maintaining the center's viability over time and
continuing to offer quality care.
Your
local Small Business Development Center (SBDC) can be instrumental
in helping you develop a business plan. Please contact one of the
following for assistance.
- SIC
– Harrisburg: 618-252-5001
- SIU – Carbondale:
618-536-2424
- Shawnee
College – Ullin: 618-634-3214
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Facilities
and Equipment
One
of your primary concerns in starting a program will be determining
the location, size, and type of space you need. Things to think
about when looking for a space include child care needs of the local
community; zoning, Americans with Disabilities Act regulations, fire
and health department regulations, parking needs, and licensing
requirements.
One
of the first places to start is DCFS Licensing. You may request a
copy of the Center Licensing Standards.
These standards will answer many of your questions regarding
space, child ratios and staff qualifications. Call the regional
office at 618-993-7100 to request a copy of the standards or review
them online at http://www.state.il.us/dcfs.
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