Been looking for new clients since Aug and have not got one call???

[Julie]

Just wondering if there are slow time's and HOT time to post for your daycare i have been advertizing since Aug when i was on Mat leave and post clients cancelled on me didn't want to switch there kids again understandably. But I have not got one phone call e-mail nothing whats up one one needs daycare anymore ?? Just wont to know that soon someone may call.

[Inspired by Reggio]

Not sure what area you are in but it is slowest I have ever seen if in my 25 years - even licensed centres have lots of spaces in my hometown

For us it is partially due to a 10.9% unemployment rate combined with introduction of full day early learning ...centres have lost their 4-5 year olds to big school opening up a lot more spaces for subsidy care in centres and so forth which puts a strain on private daycares like us

[kidlove]

I agree with Reggio, it does seem the slowest i have ever seen as well. I have had openings for a few months now with very little interest. What people are looking don't seem to be "my preference" alot of "govt. funded" and "part time" lookers...no full time or "solidly employed" parents seem to be looking right now. I have had even some of my long time families trying to cut back as much as I can allow. We are in a recession and it is trickling even to us. (or especially to us) seems lots of people are willing to go with less quality care, or turn to family and friends to save cash in these low money/high expense times. Hang in there, along with the rest of us, not sure if anyone is "doing anything wrong" as far as advertising, really just think the world in general is slowing down and cutting back. your in the same boat as many of us in this field, hold out and have faith. I guess.

[angelina]

Maybe it is slow. and I am private, not very actively advertising, just word of mouth, i have 2 space, but I am okay with 3 here, part time perhaps...slow here too.

Some friend caregivers said that those who offer subsidy get the spot often. Is this true?

[cfred]

It‘s been painfully slow. I just bought a new house and have been panicking a little bit as I‘m on my own here and daycare is the only source of income. I don‘t know if this makes you feel any better, but I‘ve been getting lots of emails and calls and signed 2 kids in the past month. 1 part time, 1 full time. PHEW! 2 spaces left, but I feel very encouraged with all the responses. I‘ve found it very, very helpful to have a proper and professional website. Fortunately, my brother in law was a web designer. If you can swing it, I would strongly suggest getting one up and running. The responses are now starting to come from Google searches, not just here. Also, ask former and current clients to leave you a testimonial here. Everyone I‘ve interviewed has commented that I‘m the only one in the area with testimonials. Make sure you copy and paste them to another file as well though....you‘ll lose them after removing your ads. I also put my daycare on the main floor this time...again, very positive response.
I hope this helps you a bit. I know it‘s really scary....I‘ve been stressed as heck about it. Hang in there and really up your exposure in the public, internet especially! It‘ll get better

Oh....one last thing....McGuinty can suck it. Hate that guy.....

[Crayola kiddies]

Yay mcguinty is toast !!!!! Been slow here too. Had an interview three weeks ago and they wanted a part time spot but I have nothing opening up till Jan so they let me know they found some one to take the child right away and two days later I get a family telling me they ending care at the end of the month as dad is taking the winter off work. So, again I advertise
Hopefully the phone rings or the email pings ; )

[Momof4]

I'm turning people away and have been all year long, but I live near downtown in my city and catch all the downtown workers. I just sent a family to a friend with a daycare near me and now she's full. Make sure you have a great network system for word of mouth with friends, family and ask people to recommend you to their co-workers. Good luck.

[Bookworm]

I've been advertising a spot since July, when I lost a daycare kid to montessori school. I have had one interview to fill that spot, and unfortunately they went with a different daycare. I am not in a huge rush to fill the spot, but would like to sooner or later just to have that safety net if something happens to my current clients.
It seems to be an incredibly slow time of year, and it seems that there are a lot of people opening up home daycares in my area.