Help on How To Open/Start a Daycare Center Business

[tina1985]

Hi Everyone,

I live in Nova Scotia and have been thinking about the option of opening my own daycare. I believe I am an entreprenuer at heart, and am tired of working for someone else and would like to put my own sweat-equity into something I will love. I love administration and finances. I have a sister who is an experienced ECE, and know a few others. I have a 11 month old daughter, and am just ending my maternity leave.
My idea is not to open up a home daycare, like many others do, I want to buy a house, and convert/use that as the daycare. I will hire a few ECE's, a part time cook, and I will take care of the business aspect of things (admin, finance, accounting, etc.). There is a home for sale in my area that is zoned for a daycare and was once a successful daycare before. Right now it is a lovely home in good shape. It is located right beside a school.
What I am asking you lovely folks is, how did you go about starting your business? Is there anyone who did what I described above (rather than using your basement or a portion of your home)? What did you have to do in ordder to start? What regulations have to be met, licenses have to be gotten, what's the process? Was it hard for you to find children?
I am very nervous, because you always hear of many businesses not succeeding. The fear of failure is there, so I want to make sure that this doesn't happen to me.

[Lee-Bee]

All I can offer up is...with an 11month old and a mat leave about to finish this business would NOT be up and running before you were supposed to return to work. It would take a LONG time to go through all the paper work to get the approval to open the daycare.

Just want to make sure you are prepared for that. I have no idea how long the process would take but I am confident it is closer to a year than a month!

[Van]

first look up the rules on how to go about opening up a daycare in Nova Scotia as each prov has their own rules and regulations

[Suzie_Homemaker]

I found this for Nova Scotia. https://www.ednet.ns.ca/earlyyears/providers/

It seem that you have to find building, get building up to standards, get license, have staff and Director with ECE qualifications.

I not know how long this would take but it seem Early Years Department is starting point in your province.

[kindredspirit]

I'm in Nova Scotia too :) The regulations for daycare centres are spelled out online, on the site posted above. If your sister meets the requirements for director, and you could get the building to meet the regulations, then your first call should be to the department to find out their timeline for inspections and getting a licence.

I just started up in my home. I was on mat leave, and took in kids to make ends meet. I realized I enjoyed it, and could make the same money (after childcare) and not have to spend so much time away from my kids (full time shiftwork). I became approved (took 2 months), posted ads, and once I filled a couple spots (a month before mat leave ended) I resigned my position! It was scary, but I'm happy :)

[Van]

Change is Scary but worth it if you are happy :)