Who has a portfolio?

Do you think it helps getting families to sign on? Do you just leave it out on the table or do you hand it to them to look through? Is it a binder with all your stuff in it? What exactly do you have in it? I'm thinking about putting 1 together so sorry for all the questions, lol. I do have references and some pictures on my website and I give parents a fairly lengthy package to take home if I think they may be a good match but I'm wondering if it'll be worth my time to put 1 together or not. If you hand it to parents to look through, what do you say to them..."here's my portfolio to browse through if you'd like?".

Yes I have one

Not sure if it 'helps' cause I have always had one so do not know the difference but I do not think it can HURT that's for sure ;)

My contains

• All About Me ... My resume, police and vulnerable person checks, completed 'safety' inspection from when I was with the agency, copy of my proof of insurance for business, my business license with my BIN
• Training and Education .... my diploma, my certification, my membership with the college of Early Childhood Education, first aid CPR certificates and any 'additional' workshop training certificates I have taken in the past 5 years (I remove and update stuff older than 5 years to my certification binder ~ just want to show them the 'recent' stuff)
• Program Info ... Daily Schedule, Sample Menus, Sample Program plans, Calendar & Newsletters
• Client / Parent Handbook .... the only paper copy I keep for reference ~ they get a 'PDF electronic copy'
• Enrollment Package ... one complete enrollment package with the 'forms' they will be expected to complete from the contract , emergency medical forms, consent forms
• Letters of Reference ... various copies of letters of reference from past and current clients and copies of the 'contact list' for my in person reference
• Flyers / Business cards .... I keep copies of my flyers/business cards and tell them to feel free to take some if they think they know friends who would be interested ~ cause even if we might not be a match does not mean they might not know someone whose hours or needs are closer match ;)

I have a booklet with my contract and my resume in page protectors. I give the family my resume during the interview and let them look over the contract really quickly as I explain the high points. I explain my medical forms that go with me everywhere. That's it. Then after the interview I email the contract and medical forms to them with a thank you email so they can look it over at their leisure and call the references (my current and past families) from my resume.