How to Open and Operate a Financially Successful Child Care Service (With Companion CD-ROM)
Because parents must work outside the home, there will always be a demand for childcare. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 64 percent of married-couple families, both husband and wife work outside the home. There are nearly 12 million children under the age of five in child care each week in the United States.
With concerns about quality child care, the trend is to move away from large operations and turn to the small services located close by work or home. This increase in small day care operations creates a huge opportunity for someone who loves children and wants to create a business dedicated to taking care of them.
A child care service makes an ideal home based or part-time business. Start-up costs are low. You do not need an office. You do not need any costly special equipment. All you need to get started is an approved facility and a desire to succeed. Here is the manual you need to be successful in this highly profitable segment of the service industry.
This superb manual will arm you with everything, including a sample business plan, forms, contracts; worksheets and checklists for planning, opening, and running day-to-day operations; plus dozens of other valuable, time-saving tools of the trade that no child care provider should be without.
You will learn about
Accounting and Bookkeeping Procedures
Accreditations
Achieving Your Goals and Objectives
Activity Programs
Admission Guidelines
Auditing
Basic Cost Control Systems
Child Behavior Issues
Choosing the Right Equipment and Toys
Choosing Your Company Name
CPR and Other Training
Credit from Suppliers
Educational Supplies
Equipment
Fees Charged
Financial Issues
Food Service Pros and Cons
Generating High Profile Public Relations and Publicity
Health and Safety Issues
Hiring and Keeping a Qualified Professional Staff
Holiday Policies
Hours
Insurance
Investors
IRS Requirements
Late Pickups
Laundry Issues
Legal Requirements and Structure
Location
Low and No Cost Ways to Satisfy Customers and Build Sales
Low Cost Marketing Ideas
Management of Your Operation and Finances
Managing and Training Employees
Market
Marketing of Your Business
Outside Funding
Parental Relationships
Pricing Formulas,
Promotion and Crisis Management
Purchasing an Existing Child-Care Service
Records and Reporting
Release of Children to Adults
Sales and Marketing Techniques
Sample Floor Plans and Diagrams
SBA Financing
Services Offered
Setting Up Computer Systems to Save Time and Money
Setting Up Your Office
Special Need Clients
Staffing
Successful Budgeting and Profit Planning Development
Successful Food and Beverage Management
Transportation Service Pros and Cons
The manual delivers literally hundreds of innovative ways to set up, operate, and manage your child care business. Learn new ways to make your operation run smoother and increase performance. In addition, operators will appreciate this book as a valuable resource and reference in their daily activities and as a source of ready-to-use forms, Web sites, and operating and cost cutting ideas. The Companion CD-ROM contains all the forms in the book as well as a sample business plan you can adapt for your own use.
Please visit our web site http://www.atlantic-pub.com/ .
RATING ****
How to Open & Operate A Financially Successful Child Care Service With Companion CD-Rom by Tina Musial
You may be fantastic with children, put yourself through university using babysitting money, and have a pre-school teaching credential – but do you have the chops to open your own Child Care Service Center? Here’s a quick way to find out.
The book opens with a summary of existing child care centers, and follows with all the necessary financial details, starting with getting that all-important capital; it offers a thorough look at avenues for funding. From funding, the book examines the actual facility and the federal and state requirements, as well as admission policies, fees, the daily schedule. The heart of a Child Care Center is undoubtedly the staff and this is addressed in several areas in the book, including a chapter dedicated to finding the right candidates. It may be an onus of responsibility – entrusting someone with children – but Musial makes it seem a viable and worthy task.
Location, location, location doesn’t just apply to purchasing property, but is a critical element to securing a successful center – this is another topic the book explores, as well as how to promote the facility and draw students. The book is filled with up-to-date contact information and interviews with experts.
Musial has done all the work for the prospective Child Care provider – think of her as someone who took all the notes in class for you and organized it in a thoughtful and thoroughly helpful way.
Comment by nfmendoza — March 3, 2008 @ 6:49 pm
A successful child care center doesn’t just happen because you have a love of children and are not afraid of a little hard work. As a working parent, I’ve made use of several day care centers, some of which have been excellent, and others only so-so. But the bottom line is, you get what you pay for; the center that I considered top-of-the-line, and which charged me top-of-the-line dollars, must have followed Ms. Musial’s guidelines as to what constitutes a successful and well-run enterprise. I had no idea how much work went into it, and now I understand why I paid what I paid.
From the simple consideration that this is something you’d like to do, through the culmination of an established, well-run, profitable child care facility, and all the factors in between that go into it, I believe that Ms. Musial has it thoroughly covered. She breaks the work load down into three main parts: Part One - having a desire, but needing direction; topics include the pros and cons of each possible type of center (home based, existing and new) inspections, re-inspections and licensing, checklists for services and needs. Part Two – getting started, including estimating start up costs, creating a business plan, finding the property and/or designing the center to maximize space, finding funding, meeting basic needs, meeting state and local requirements, finding and retaining qualified staff including award ceremonies (i.e. Most Diapers Changed in One Day), and pricing guidelines (hourly versus weekly) and marketing your new center to increase revenue (there are some really excellent tips in here… a parade float, wow!). Part Three – opening your center, with information for business policies and practices, accreditation and licensing, establishing policies involving the children and their care, including food and beverages, playtime, handling every day boo boos as well as major emergencies.
Case studies placed throughout the book are helpful in that they offer encouragement that problems can be solved or overcome, and ways to avoid the mistake in the first place.
Rating ****
Don’t be put off by the amount of information; the book is rather long, 288 pages, but it is easy to read, and logically listed. The table of contents is comprehensive, so you won’t need to go flipping about the book to find what you’re looking for. I’d suggest that you tackle this book in bits and pieces, and rely on it as a primer, once you’ve opened your center. There’s really so much that Ms. Musial covers in her book, that I’d be writing my own book here, rather than just a review, if I tried to tell you about all of it.
Comment by Barbzzz — March 10, 2008 @ 9:32 am
How to Open & Operate a Financially Successful Child Care Service by Tina Musial presents the pros and cons of each type of child care center in a down to earth manner. Opening a child care center is not as simple as keeping kids for a few hours. The author gives details about the safety and health requirements and regulations. She also describes the types of business structures as well as expenses, financing, location, and deciding how much to charge for services. Business decisions such as dealing with employees and marketing your enterprise are covered well.
Anyone considering opening a child care center whether it is big or small should read this book. It is written in a simple and straightforward manner with checklists and case studies so readers with any level of business knowledge will be able to understand it.
***** 5 Stars
Comment by Fantasmike — March 10, 2008 @ 1:15 pm
Rating: 5 Stars
A lot of parents think about opening a childcare center so that they can stay home with their kids and earn some money. Tina’s book is a good resource if you are contemplating this move. The book starts off strong explaining the different kinds of centers you can operate- home-based, purchasing an existing center or starting a new center. And then offers pros and cons of each type.
She goes on to discusses general requirements you will need in order to get your state license for each type of center. Offers clear-cut examples of policies and various plans you should have in place like a fire evacuation plan and health and safety policies.
The prospect of opening your own business is always appealing. But as with any other business, a childcare facility, even a home-based one, will require money to operate. The book discusses financing options including opening a center onsite at major corporations in your community or city.
Lots of great little extras like a sample floor plan are included. The author also discusses how you can decide how much to charge and how to determine your rates (weekly or hourly). And of course, she gives you the lowdown on the pros and cons of each type of arrangement.
In the book you will also learn how to get reimbursed for the food you serve, how to hire employees, how to write drug policies, conduct staff meetings and honor your staff for their dedication and hard work. Other great advice you’ll find include: tips for setting goals for your venture, creating a mission statement, establishing fees, and determining hours of operation.
The book even covers the pros and cons of offering an after school program- a good option as many parents work late and some schools don’t offer these types of programs onsite. And discusses additional ways to make money including summer camps for kids too young to remain home alone while their parents work, and alternative hours of operation to accommodate parents who work different shifts (being open from 3 to midnight for example, or 24 hour care).
The books comes with an appendix fat with information and is written in a friendly relaxed writing style that flows across the pages and makes the book an easy read. You could probably finish it in a few sessions.
Comment by Myra T — March 13, 2008 @ 4:16 pm
Tina Musial’s “How to Open and Operate a Financially Successful Child Care Service” is the complete guide for anyone looking to open and operate a child care service. Building a child care service is difficult business, but Musial spells out in her book all the pitfalls, obstacles, guidelines, issues, and success that can be found when venturing into running a child care service.
Something I like very much about Musial’s book is that she explains in detail not only the “common sense” things anyone would imagine encountering in child care, such as child safety, keeping everything clean and sanitized, knowing who is dropping off and picking up the children in your care, and planing for emergencies, but also the things that do not enter one’s mind right away, such as strategically marketing your service, planning events and parties for both the children and the staff, and even learning (ethical and fair) ways to save money on taxes. There is also a list of helpful resources for all fifty states.
Musial uses a very friendly, engaging tone in her work. There is a very thorough glossary in the rear of the book that explains all the important terms a person going into child care service should absolutely know, the book is divided into fifteen well-organized chapters, and Musial breaks down many of the common issues one will confront in opening and operating a child care business with easy to read “Pros” and “Cons” lists. I certainly recommend this easy-to-read and comprehensive guide to a person like myself who has virtually no idea what is entailed in starting and managing a child care service and also to those child-care professionals who are looking to refresh and update their knowledge base. Five Stars!
Comment by Joshua McMorrow-Hernandez — March 17, 2008 @ 5:12 pm
Those guidelines were really helpfull day care software. Many people, especially women don’t get ideas of turning their intrest into day care software. Your lucerative advices would help their way in running their day care software. Similar day care software which gave appreciable directives to many newbies in this field who led their way to success.
Comment by day care software — March 27, 2008 @ 4:18 am
Rating: 5 Stars
Tina Musial’s guide to opening and operating your own childcare center is a concise work. Everything you need to know from common sense ideas to the bare bones that each center, large or small, consists of is all in this easy to read book.
Broken down into three parts Musial shares her expertise and wisdom compiled from many years in the industry with her readers. This book is full of information. What I liked most about this book was how Musial forces the reader to ask questions about why they want to open a childcare center, what type of personality they are and why that is important and determines what size center you should strive to operate. Each section has a clearly laid out set of pros and cons, samples of letters, real life scenarios, forms and more. There are checklists, examples of budgets and loads of reference information per state. Musial does not gloss over any of the aspects of owning and operating a childcare center. She forces the reader to take control of each avenue and path they will walk down as they being their journey and create his or her own business.
From how to interview staff and families, to increasing pay and raising rates this book has it all. It makes an excellent reference guide for those just starting out and those already in the business. The Appendix alone with its state-by-state references is worth the price of the book. If you are thinking of opening your own childcare center or simply need a refresher course or new ideas for a childcare center you already own then look no further than this book.
Comment by Victoria Mason — March 31, 2008 @ 5:29 pm
Yes,Thats right A child care service makes an ideal home based or part-time business.No need to maintain an office,any costly special equipment. All to get started is an approved facility and a desire to succeed
Comment by Daycare Business Plan — April 5, 2008 @ 4:21 am
It’s no wonder that the shortage of childcare facilities increases everyday. The red tape and unforeseen complications involved with opening and operating a daycare center turn away potential owners time and time again. However, there is hope for anyone determined enough to open their own daycare. Tina Musial is your beacon of hope as the author of How to Open & Operate a Financially Successful Childcare Service. This comprehensive how-to guide breaks down the complexities of day care ownership into simple and manageable steps, which most any one can implement.
From the very first chapter, Musial presents information that every potential child care owner should know, but didn’t know who to ask for it. She covers the various standards and requirements child care centers must meet, and explains the proper paperwork that must be filed in order to do so. Many of the start-up steps she details are items that most would have NO CLUE needed to be completed in order to start a child care facility. Musial’s attention to detail ensures that readers will be thoroughly informed of what to expect during the opening procedures.
Each aspect of obtaining ownership and opening a child care facility is covered in simplistic detail, but Tina Musial doesn’t end her book after owners have opened their daycare doors. She further outlines essential knowledge needed to run a successful center well after opening day. From suggestions concerning what to charge patrons, what to feed the kiddos, and how to compete with both the fancy and low-cost daycares, Musial offers practical advice for every headache that owners could possibly encounter.
For anyone who has a dream of owning and effectively running a child care facility, Tina Musial’s guide should be the daily handbook that you turn to for answers. This book receives five out of five stars for its amazing attention to detail, and its simplistic style and outline. How to Open & Operate a Financially Successful Childcare Service is a must-have for wannabe daycare owners!
Comment by Lenzi — June 26, 2008 @ 5:58 pm