Opened in January and still waiting for clients..

I opened my home daycare in January but didn't get my first (temporary) child until April. She is done in a few weeks and I still have not gotten anyone else. :S Is ths normal? I'm just not gettng any calls. I am advertised here, kijiji, a member of CPRN and have flyers up. Not sure what else to do. Is this a waiting game? I'm ready to throw in the towel but don't want to. We renovated our basement and put a lot of money into making this a success. I have 2 children of my own and working out of the home isn't really an option as what I make will just equal daycare costs for my own 2 children. Even working part time won't bring in enough money. What do other families do??? I don't want to give up but I am really starting to lose hope. I am counting on getting a few ft children for September but not sure what to do if this doesn't happen?!

Playgroups, Parks and walks!!!! That would be my advice. I have gotten all of my clients from word of mouth. Put yourself out there and talk to people! Lots of people.... and tell them about your wonderful daycare and how excited you are to be doing this. I got one client from a park, one from a sears parking lot, two from a playgroup and one from a mom already in my daycare.
Just start talking.........not being shy helped me a lot :-)

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Originally Posted by Trace of Angels

Playgroups, Parks and walks!!!! That would be my advice. I have gotten all of my clients from word of mouth. Put yourself out there and talk to people! Lots of people.... and tell them about your wonderful daycare and how excited you are to be doing this. I got one client from a park, one from a sears parking lot, two from a playgroup and one from a mom already in my daycare.
Just start talking.........not being shy helped me a lot :-)

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. Great advice! Vistaprint is a great source for cheap signs for your daycare as well...post a yard sign, one on your car, one on your wagon:)

I feel for you! This profession is a waiting game at the beginning! At least you now have a reference from a previous client. That will help you get the next family. I opened in September and had my first client sign on in October. I just now got my second client signed on. It takes time. It took me a bit longer because I only offer part-time care, so I have a couple days off during the week to give me own little ones some one on one time. You really just have to be patient. Someone once told me that you have to figure out what makes you stand out from the other hundreds of home daycares. I have developed an education program and follow a preschool curriculum. Parents love this, and that's why the families chose me. I also provide a journal for each family and tell them all about what their child did that day and ate. Parents also love that and not every daycare does that. Remember all it takes is one interview with the right family to get you back in the game. THings can change in a snap.

Have you attended any of the childcare connection meetings offered through CCPRN? What part of Ottawa are you in? I am in Orleans and it for sure comes in waves.

it could be your area. I am in a area where I can not get private clients. I had to join an agency in order to get clients. We are saving up so we can move to a area where I can get private clients and drop the agencies.

This is totally outside the box but if your not full why not go to a few Mommy and me groups and network that way! There must be a few comming off Mat leave in your area soon!

I second this suggestion! I just attended one last week and found a family that way...there were actually a lot of parents at the meeting looking for care. Sometimes it is mostly caregivers, but at least you get your name in their book for three months and parents all over the city can access it through CCPRN. If I were starting out and needed to fill spaces, I would go every month as you never know when you are going to meet the right one. What area of town are you in?

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Originally Posted by playfelt

Have you attended any of the childcare connection meetings offered through CCPRN? What part of Ottawa are you in? I am in Orleans and it for sure comes in waves.

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Too funny dreamalittledream..i actually have ordered a sign from vista print for my front yard. Just waiting for it. I dont drive and don't have any play groups in my area. I checked checked and CPRN has a connection meeting tonite so I'll be going to that. My last resort may be an agency. Has anyone here gone thru an agency to get clients?? I'm in Kanata playfelt, in Bridlewood Trails.

This time of year I often see ads posted on the mailboxes in the area.

It doesn't matter how wonderful our programs are if parents aren't contacting us then we can't sell ourselves and that is for sure depressing.

Go for lots of walks and put the sign on your wagon or stroller bag or somewhere visible but not so it looks like you are advertising if that makes sense. Biggest thing is not to be afraid to approach other people in the sense of going to the park with your own children and striking up a conversation with other parents or if you are out walking and someone walks by with a baby in a stroller say hi I am a daycare provider with open spaces. If you will be looking for childcare anytime soon I would be pleased to show you my daycare and then whip out some contact info - business card or similar info typed on a piece of paper to hand to her. You may not hear for months but the more often you do that the better the chances.

And make yourself some business cards!!! It is great to have htem when you meet someone at the park etc. Even when you go to the CCPRN meetings, it looks really professional if you hand out a business card and then they can't forget about you. I just used a template on Microsoft publisher and made myself my own cards and print them on cardstock. A website is also a huge plus...and you can put the link on your card. My website has brought me most of my clients...by the time they see the website they want the space before even meeting me and coming to meet is just to finalize the decision. Good luck at the meeting!

I am in Bridlewood as well. This time last year I was flooded with parents looking for care. Now, (I have a 3 month old baby and had two children leave while pregnant- and of course new people didn't want to start while I was pregnant) the inquiries are very few. Also, there are more then double the number (was about 10, now about 22) of daycares advertised on daycare bear within 1KM of my house then there was this time last year. It's as if everyone in Bridlewood decided to open a daycare at once. I feel where you are coming from... it's frustrating to have a great set up that you worked hard on and wonder where the parents and children are.

If you're on facebook, check to see if there are any Ottawa Home Daycare group sites. I live in Milton, ON, and that's how I found my daughters' daycare.