Child Care Resource Library

How to Interview Your Babysitter’s References

The last step in the hiring process is often checking a babysitter’s references, and it can be one of the most stressful for parents who aren’t accustomed to conducting interviews. Past employers and personal references can give you a more accurate view of a promising babysitter candidate, especially if you’re nervous about leaving a relative stranger alone with your children for an extended period of time.

Recognizing the Signs of Bullying in Young Children

Once dismissed as an unpleasant but unavoidable aspect of growing up, bullying is now becoming an issue of nationwide focus. Still, it’s not always easy for childcare providers to recognize the signs of bullying among their charges unless a child is actually caught in the act of harming a peer. Victims of bullying can struggle to manage the stress and anxiety which accompanies peer torment, especially young children who have yet to develop coping mechanisms and may not have a vocabulary for the specific abuse they’re encountering. It’s up to childcare providers and parents to look out for the signs of bullying among young children, so the issue can be properly addressed.

The Role of Special Needs Parents in Child Development Programs

Early education and child development programs are a powerful tool for helping children to realize their full potential, and can be especially important for special needs parents seeking the best for their children. All parents should take an active role in the education of their children, but it becomes especially important for parents to advocate for their children when he or she has special needs. By partnering with child development programs designed specifically for those with special needs, parents can help their child to reach developmental and intellectual milestones to the best of their ability. In order to be truly effective, a child development program will require parents to take an active, involved role in their child’s education

Understanding Common Playground Risks

Creating an outdoor play space for children is an important part of starting an in-home daycare business, but it’s equally important for small business owners to understand common playground risks in order to prevent injury. Minimizing dangerous conditions can help home daycare provider to mitigate risks of litigation or liability, while providing a safer place for children to play outdoors.

Who Determines Childcare Regulations?

For childcare providers who are in the process of starting their own businesses, obtaining reliable information about licensure and regulations can be a challenge. Learning which agencies and entities regulate professional childcare settings is important, and also a complicated task. Caregivers and prospective business owners who plan to comply with all requisite regulations can achieve this goal by breaking regulations into federal, state and local mandates.

Health and Safety Basics for a New Home Daycare

For parents and operators alike, there can be many attractive benefits associated with a home daycare; depending on state and local licensing laws, however, some may also be completely unregulated. Federal law governing the establishment and operation of childcare centers is minimal, leaving the bulk of regulatory responsibilities left to individual states. Some don’t require home daycare providers to obtain licensure if their operations are relatively small, so they may not be subjected to the same level of scrutiny and oversight as a center-based daycare facility. Evaluating the health and safety measures taken by a new home daycare may fall to the operators and parents considering enrollment, which makes it imperative for all involved parties to have a basic understanding of health and safety measures.

5 Ways Parents Can Supplement a Daycare Curriculum at Home

A strong curriculum and a focus on developmental progress can be one of the most attractive features of a high-quality daycare program. Parents have the natural desire to give their children a great start in life, which is why daycare programs with a great curriculum are so attractive. Still, even the most comprehensive curriculum only reaches optimal effectiveness when parents take an active role in helping at home. Learning to supplement a daycare curriculum is one of the most powerful ways of helping your child retain new skills while continuing to grow and progress.

Meeting the Childcare Needs of School-Aged Children

While many parents and childcare providers place a high premium on the importance of meeting the needs of infants and toddlers, the unique demands of caring for older children are equally deserving of attention. During the school year, children may be released from school before working parents return home, leaving a gap in which childcare becomes a necessity. Extended seasonal breaks like summer vacation and the winter holidays may also create a hardship in working-parent households, as children are no longer attending school and are in need of temporary care. Meeting the childcare needs of school-aged children comes with different requirements than those related to the care of younger children, as well.

Business-Building Tips for Childcare Providers

A great childcare provider’s primary focus is the health, safety and happiness of the children under their care, but a dedication to building your business is almost as crucial. After all, even the best childcare provider’s success will be dependent upon the existence of a solid, reliable customer base. Though an economic downturn can be frightening, the childcare industry is one in which there is still great room for growth across the country. From the largest daycare centers to on-call babysitters, anyone who hopes to be successful in the childcare industry must make sustained business growth a high priority. Whether you’re just starting your childcare business or are actively working to expand enrollment in an existing facilities, there are ways for childcare providers to promote themselves and their services.

Building a Home Daycare Business: Getting Started

If you have a genuine love of children and an entrepreneurial spirit, starting a home daycare business may be a rewarding and fulfilling career path. By starting a home-based business, you may be able to limit your up-front investment expenses and keep overhead costs to a minimum, which makes it a more accessible option than starting an independent daycare center for many caregivers. Still, there are some factors you will need to consider before accepting your first clients and turning your home into a place of business.