As of 2021, there is an estimated 856,238 daycare centers across the country.
Obviously, you didn’t expect to find out so many daycare centers in America. If there are already so many preschool franchises operating, you might have second thoughts about joining this market.
However, it is a good idea to do so. In this business, you help shape many children’s futures, an enriching experience.
If you would like to start a daycare franchise, read this guide to discover the steps you need.
Why Should You Start a Daycare Business?
In the United States, 62 percent of families have two parents who are employed. Additionally, in a single-parent household, the parent must work. Therefore, it is evident that childcare is highly sought after and is unlikely to slow down any time soon.
From 2016 to 2026, it is predicted that career opportunities in child care will increase by 6.9 percent. Therefore, this field offers many career options. One of the career options is becoming a director of a daycare franchise. In a daycare center, the director oversees daily operations, manages finances, and ensures the children are safe.
Should You Start a Preschool Franchise or Start a Home Business Daycare?
Perhaps you are wondering whether you should start small by offering services at home or go big by creating a franchise. It’s entirely up to you how to get started, and as long as you follow these guidelines, there is no right way to do it. Let’s look at the two different types of daycare centers you can have.
What Is a Preschool Franchise?
Imagine a daycare franchise as a well-known big brand. You have a brand that everyone can recognize, a set of rules and standards to follow, and a curriculum to follow. Parents will appreciate the consistency of a preschool franchise and know their child is well taken care of.
It is also a good idea to start your child care business through a franchise since the parent company will assist you every step of the way. With everything you need for getting started, you’ll have less struggle through the process.
What About a Home-Based Child Care Center?
A home-based child care business is where you provide childcare services in the comfort of your own home. Opening your home as a provider of child care is a low-cost option but comes with some drawbacks.
First, because you will be the only one in the house, first-time parents may be reluctant to participate in a home-based child care program. Secondly, you will be responsible for running your business alone.
Third, you will have to provide insurance coverage on your home that covers an accident occurring to a child, as well as investing in safety precautions.
The guide focuses only on the steps to building a preschool franchise. If you want to start a child care center in your home, then check your state’s licensing requirements.
Learn the Requirements in Your States on How to Start a Preschool Franchise
It is a good idea to know the requirements for opening a daycare in your state before you get started. In each state, there are different laws on what is required to create a daycare business. Fortunately, finding this information is not difficult.
Visit your state’s Department of Health and Human Services website to find out what you need to do to open a daycare. Remember, every state requires you to complete an application, pay a fee, and undergo a background check before you can get a license.
Gain the Educational Requirements to Start a Daycare Business
If you want to start a daycare franchise and become a director, you’ll need some form of education. To become a preschool director, you need an associate’s or bachelor’s degree.
Furthermore, many states also require directors to hold certifications from the Child Development Association (CDA) or the National Administration Credential (NAC). Every state has its own educational and certification requirements, so you’ll need to conduct your research to find out what they are.
Create a Business Plan For Your Preschool Franchise
Daycare business plans are crucial for your success because a daycare franchise cannot be started blindly. Develop a detailed plan that highlights the start-up costs, the marketing costs, the costs of securing a location, and hiring staff members.
The process of opening a daycare can be costly and challenging. So first, determine whether you’re going to fund this yourself or with a small business loan. In addition, there are grants for those looking to start a preschool franchise.
Also, it would help if you keep these factors in mind when creating your business plan. For example, how would you describe your daycare’s mission? It is essential that you can convince parents why their children should attend your daycare center. Furthermore, you should establish your daycare’s operating hours and holiday closing policies.
We have excellent resources available to help you plan a compelling daycare franchise. In addition, the programs eand workshops we offer will help child care providers gain knowledge on starting their own daycare business.
Develop Policies and Procedures for Your Daycare Franchise
Once you have finished developing your business plan, you should spend some time creating policies and procedures for your daycare business. Your duty as the daycare director is to ensure that all children learn and grow in a safe environment.
Therefore, forms on policies and procedures will have to be more than just checking that everything is done for the day.
Ensure your workers know what you expect from them by developing employee handbooks. Prepare guides for the parents to know how you will help their child grow and learn while under your care.
Additionally, you will have to establish health and safety protocols for your employees, as well as a crisis management plan.
Get Insurance for Your Preschool Franchise
During your research for license requirements, you may discover you will need insurance. If your building is damaged or children are injured while on your property, you will need insurance. In addition, depending on the size of your business, you may need workers’ compensation insurance.
Having an insurance agent assist you in this step will provide you with information about what insurance policies you’ll need to begin operating a preschool franchise.
Create a Curriculum for Your Daycare Franchise
Did you know that a child’s brain develops at an 85% rate in their first three years? Therefore, a daycare business must have a preschool curriculum. In addition, the environment in which the children learn should be engaging and stimulating. These three factors should be part of a child care curriculum:
- Plan and activities for a lesson
- Materials and equipment for lessons
- The methods of teaching children in child care
It is common for people to develop their curriculum plans from sources found on the internet. However, it is better to follow along with a comprehensive school-based curriculum.
A curriculum should include core subjects such as reading, math, and science. There should also be a learning-outcome framework in place to know what skills the children will gain from the curriculum. Finally, of course, there should be flexibility within the curriculum based on a child’s progress.
You want to make sure the children who attend your preschool franchise will enjoy their experience and excel in their education. Daycares are not just known for watching children while their parents work. It is the worker’s job to enrich a child’s education and prepare them for society. Remember, it takes a village to raise a child, and daycare workers are a part of the village.
As a result, you will not have to guess what is best for your daycare children to do, and you will know for sure they will be learning in your facility. In addition, kids City USA offers a preschool curriculum for education franchising institutions from infants to five-year-olds.
Hire Qualified Staff Members to Help You With Your Daycare Franchise
You should have a clear idea of who you would like to hire for your daycare franchise. For example, are you looking for someone with an associate’s degree or a few credits in early childhood education? It is also possible to hire someone whose only experience with children is as a nanny or babysitter.
The most important thing to remember is to hire people who are willing to interact with the children and who will take good care of them. Also, make sure the ratio of staff to children is in accordance with your state’s regulations.
Depending on the size of your childcare, you might need a teacher for each room. In addition, all preschool staff members are required to undergo background checks, fingerprinting, and training.
Your preschool will be judged by the staff who have daily contact with the children. Therefore, choose your employees wisely when you hire them.
Receive Accreditation Before Opening Your Daycare Business
Accreditation is an optional step, but you should consider it. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) found that only one in ten daycares choose to take this extra step. Accreditation will make your business stand out among preschool franchises and give parents peace of mind.
Find the Perfect Location for Your Preschool Business
When choosing a location for your daycare business, you must consider some factors. For example, how many children do you plan to allow to attend your daycare? Do you plan to set up a home-based daycare, or will you need a building?
Make sure your business location complies with city and state zoning laws and regulations when selecting a location. You would also want your business location to be somewhere desirable for parents to drive to. Make sure there are enough parking spaces, easy access to the building, and somewhere within the city limits.
Learn How to Market Your Daycare Franchise
After you finish your preschool franchise’s structure, you will need to learn how to market your business. One of the ways to do this is by word of mouth. First, tell your family, friends, and neighbors that you are opening a daycare. Then, create flyers and see if other businesses will let you post them there.
You can also use social media to promote your preschool franchise. To market your daycare business, use old-fashioned platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
When you have a strong following, move on to newer platforms such as Clubhouse to promote your business to a larger audience. In addition, social media can be used to target your ideal clients and to host grand openings for families.
Additionally, you can advertise to local parent groups, list your preschool in directories, and write guest posts on blogs. Promotion of your business can be done in many ways, but you have to get creative.
Kid City USA helps those interested in marketing their preschool franchise. So, don’t think you have to do this alone. We understand how difficult social media can be used for business purposes. Our workshop and training will provide you the right tools to help you promote your business online or in your local city.
Are You Ready to Start Your Preschool Franchise?
Building a preschool franchise requires a lot of patience and work. Even so, with a bit of help and guidance, you can achieve the results much faster than you could on your own.
Children are the future of our society, and Kids City USA is committed to helping them grow. To receive guidance on starting a daycare franchise, please contact us today. We will help you in every step to create the business of your dreams in helping children!
