What would you like your daycare to provide that isn't being provided?

[nschildcare]

I don't know what the regs are... so take what I am saying with a grain of salt.

I think that catering to one age group would be a good thing in many ways. The set up would be ideal for that age group, activities, meals, etc etc. I know many centres and home daycares (here) won't accept children until they are 18 months. So parents need something until that age, kwim?

If you are limited by age how many children you can have, then I would revisit the notion of catering to an age and instead cater to a philosophy (ie: what you think is important in childcare, play through learning, etc etc).

Good luck!

[Smartbaby]

I don't know what the regs are... so take what I am saying with a grain of salt.

I think that catering to one age group would be a good thing in many ways. The set up would be ideal for that age group, activities, meals, etc etc. I know many centres and home daycares (here) won't accept children until they are 18 months. So parents need something until that age, kwim?

If you are limited by age how many children you can have, then I would revisit the notion of catering to an age and instead cater to a philosophy (ie: what you think is important in childcare, play through learning, etc etc).

Good luck!

Thanks, I appreciate the input, all of it! I guess at the end of the day I feel my care may be more concentrated and effective when dedicated to one age group. My aim is going to be to provide highly personalized attention and I believe that conceptual challenges can occur at a very young age. The infant years are marked by very fast growth and learning and I want to focus attention on presenting challenges that lay educational framework early on. This isn't to say I can't provide that to all ages, it's just a more concentrated focus in a more homogeneous group.

So many considerations on both sides!

I suppose since I will be a very small centre, I maybe can just fill a very small niche.

[Lee-Bee]

You'd be setting yourself up to have very high turn over and always be in a state of transition. Few families need care for children before 12months of age. Some may need care at 10 or 11 months but there really are not that many that seek care much earlier. Depending on what you define as "Toddler" you'd be getting a new child, having them settle in and then a couple months later kicking them out to find toddler care.

I currently have 5 kids ages 13-16months and I love it BUT I know that this is not going to last long. The families will start having 2nd kids, some will leave on mat leave some will return with a younger sibling, some will move or just leave and I'll fill those spots with a 12month old. The group may all be the same age now but in time my group will shift and I'll have a wider age range...it's just the nature of home care.

As much as I love having them close together I would never make a family leave because their toddler is to old. The hardest parts of this job are getting the children settled into routine. By the time they are toddlers they are familiar with the routine and are actually helping etc. I'd HATE to have to keep transitioning in new infants.

While I think the idea sounds great on paper in the realties of home daycare I don't think it is a feasible and I don't think families would sign on for it. They want their child in a home setting and they want to envision their infant staying there until school age.

[Smartbaby]

You'd be setting yourself up to have very high turn over and always be in a state of transition. Few families need care for children before 12months of age. Some may need care at 10 or 11 months but there really are not that many that seek care much earlier. Depending on what you define as "Toddler" you'd be getting a new child, having them settle in and then a couple months later kicking them out to find toddler care.

I currently have 5 kids ages 13-16months and I love it BUT I know that this is not going to last long. The families will start having 2nd kids, some will leave on mat leave some will return with a younger sibling, some will move or just leave and I'll fill those spots with a 12month old. The group may all be the same age now but in time my group will shift and I'll have a wider age range...it's just the nature of home care.

As much as I love having them close together I would never make a family leave because their toddler is to old. The hardest parts of this job are getting the children settled into routine. By the time they are toddlers they are familiar with the routine and are actually helping etc. I'd HATE to have to keep transitioning in new infants.

While I think the idea sounds great on paper in the realties of home daycare I don't think it is a feasible and I don't think families would sign on for it. They want their child in a home setting and they want to envision their infant staying there until school age.

Just to clarify, not necessarily to you but you mention ages. I believe infants are anywhere between birth and 18 months. But even caring for those up to 22 months allows a year or more with an infant and that is a very important year. Their needs change drastically at some point soon after which is also a huge transition.