New daycare...having trouble filling spots.

Hi everyone,

I have recently started a home daycare and have been actively looking for children to fill my spots. Currently I have sisters who are 2 and 3, they come to me 2 days a week. I am having quite a bit of trouble filling my other spots. The parent's I meet with are unhappy that I do not have children the other days of the week yet but no one is willing to give me a chance yet! I am feeling extremely discouraged by this and I just do not know what else to do. It seems to be the only issue, when I have an interview I show them around my home and we go to the playroom and discuss the details (contract etc). I have a Manuel/hand book that I give them and it almost always comes down to I have only those 2 girls enrolled.

Does anyone have any advice on how to approach this topic with parent's during the interview process, or rather any advice or observation on what I could be doing wrong?!:unsure:

Thanks in advance!!

Don't be too discouraged - it took me a year to fill up! I had my 2.5 year old then (April 2010) and a little boy 2 days/week (started Jan 2011), and couldn't find anyone until this summer! I was full, but someone dropped out, so I have another f/t spot available.

Just push that you are a new home daycare, and you have to start somewhere! I don't really have any other advice for you - sorry....If you want a second pair of eyes to look over your manual, I'd be happy to do that for you!

Good luck!

That sounds strange to me? If you had more children enrolled in your care, you wouldn't be looking to fill your spots?

Anyway, I agree with Play and Learn. All you really can do when they ask about having only two children in your care is to let them know that you are a new dayhome.

I am also having a hard time filling spots, but then again I have only been open for about 2 months now.

Good luck! :)

That is weird to me that people would be turned off by the fact that you only have 2 other children in your care? Have you asked them to openly discuss any reservations that they may have? How many interviews have you had? I can usually tell within the 1st 5 minutes if there intersted or not!

With that said just tell people that you currently have 2 children ages 2 & 3 in your care, do people ask if there part time & or full time?

I just wouldn't tell them the full details. When they ask, you say you have 2 children (sisters I think you said) ages 2 and 3. You don't need to say they are only part time. If they say are they here everyday say, it varies. Be positive, confident and friendly...eventuall y you will fill up. Took me a year also!

Getting the first kids into care is always the hardest for the reasons you have said. Our best reference is from other parents so if there isn't anyone else that has taken a chance on us and was satisfied then new parents don't want to either. What usually happens is you end up getting a call from someone that is desparate as in their caregiver quit, they suddenly got a job that starts right away or whatever and that gets you that magic first child.

On the days that you do have the children what about making sure you go do something like go to a playgroup, library story hour or the park where other parents would be. Then make sure you have info cards with you in case parents are looking for care.

Try to hook up with some other daycare providers because once they get to know you they are more likely to be willing to share your name with parents. Again I sometimes get my current parents asking for a friend that needs care in a particular part of the city if I know anyone and often I do because of the association I belong to.

Thanks for all the comments, so far it has given me some ideas and things to consider.

Since taking on the 2 girls I have had 3 interviews (it would have been more but some did not show up...so frustrating!) and for each one they express concern that I do not have children the other days of the week and mostly all parent's ask what the girls scheduled days are. I've been considering going with an agency but haven't fully decided yet.

I know I just need to be patient! I do have experience with caring for children, I worked as a daycare assistant for 3 years but the main provider closed her operation so I decided to open a daycare in my home. I have references from that operation and have the girls parent's as well ,they were perfectly happy to give me a reference. It seems to only boil down to not having other children. I spoke with a woman yesterday ( follow-up after an interview) and she declined because I do not have other children for her sons to play with for the rest of the week (4 months old and 2 years old), even though I have a very busy park right across the street with tons of children. She told me that they have decided to go with a nanny instead.

I have been going to the park with the girls when they are with me and just today I was speaking with another provider ( I have spoken with her for a few weeks now). Her daycare is full and she asked for my phone number and information that she could pass on to parent's if they are looking! So I have made some progress!

I found that the time of year is difficult too, at least here in my area... when I started, I started advertising in Dec, and didnt get ANYTHING, then summer approached, and in the month of July I had interviews and phone calls, like you wouldnt belive, and was full to start in Sept. For numerous reasons these two families didnt work out (turned out they were long time friends living on the same street so when it didnt work out with one, it wasnt long before the other went sour). So my next clients were not til April. I think people see you just starting out and they dont want to take the chance that you will figure out you daycare is not your thing and close. But this mom choose me over another established daycare b/c I had no other kids and liked that I would have more time for her kids. However, trying to fill the other spots was difficult and then again over the summer (the month of July) I got the rest of my spots filled.

Where r you located? I know of a few people looking for care if your in the Barrie, Ont area.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by kh1214

Hi everyone,

I have recently started a home daycare and have been actively looking for children to fill my spots. Currently I have sisters who are 2 and 3, they come to me 2 days a week. I am having quite a bit of trouble filling my other spots. The parent's I meet with are unhappy that I do not have children the other days of the week yet but no one is willing to give me a chance yet! I am feeling extremely discouraged by this and I just do not know what else to do. It seems to be the only issue, when I have an interview I show them around my home and we go to the playroom and discuss the details (contract etc). I have a Manuel/hand book that I give them and it almost always comes down to I have only those 2 girls enrolled.

Does anyone have any advice on how to approach this topic with parent's during the interview process, or rather any advice or observation on what I could be doing wrong?!:unsure:

Thanks in advance!!

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I live in Ottawa (Nepean specifically).

I have noticed that I have periods where I have a lot of calls and e-mails but the next week it is slow and next to nothing! Like I said before I was lucky enough to really connect with another DP at the park and she has my name and #. I am seeing it really is a word of mouth business, from other DP to current and former daycare parents. Hopefully I will fill some more spots soon! I really love doing this and don't want to be forced into giving it up.

Check out the childcare providers network and look into their childcare connection meetings where parents needing care and caregivers with spaces can meet up and they are free. www.ccprn.com
Worth the $25 yearly membership for the resources they offer. This website daycarebear has been great. Other places to advertise are www.usedottawa.com - look under services - childcare. Also list at www.kijiji.ca. Make sure Ottawa is selected as the city and then list under services - childcare. I live in the east end in Orleans.

I had the same trouble when I first opened interviewed a great family perfect hours as she was a teacher interview was great very positive but she called and said she changed her mind as I didn't have enough kids ( I had my 1 full timer and my 3 yr old son) :( now my latest trouble ..another great interview perfect hours but the kids I have are 2 young " please call me if you get some older ones " she says can't seem to catch a break ! something needs to give soon

It is a terrible feeling to get rejected when you feel things went so well! Unfortunately I got used to it and stopped getting my hopes up after, what I thought, was a good interview. Hopefully mamaball you catch a break and find a great family, they really make all the difference!

Oddly enough I finally caught a break! A family I interviewed way back that decided to go with a more established daycare with more children had major problems with them and called me back to see if I have openings still. We did a trial as per the moms request and she offically started the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. Last Friday I signed up 2 family's and now I only have 1 part-time space left to fill and I have an interview for it tomorrow!

It is extremley discouraging to get rejected and feel like you are doing something wrong. Posting on this forum actually made me feel better by talking to other providers and getting all the frustrations of my chest! Thanks ladies for the kind words and advice!

what great news!

I am sort of in the same position of starting up, which might deter some parents. I have NO children in my care except my own children (3 of them are in full time school and my youngest is in jr kindergarten only 2.5hrs per day). I had 2 interviews last week and 3 more this coming week but they are looking for care in the Spring (March-June)! I am only looking to take on 2 kids, maybe 3 but I'd like to fill up at least 1 spot right now. Its extremely frustrating!

oh and thank you to Playfelt! You reminded me about the CCPRN's Child Care Connection meeting and there's one tonight! :)