Opening a home daycare & want parent feedback.

daycaremomtx

Hello all, I have a few questions for those of you who have little ones in daycare. I am opening a small home daycare for infants and toddlers in NW Houston and wanted some feedback. I have had a home daycare before when I lived in Austin but wanted some parent feedback from others.

 Besides experience, good references, safe/clean house what else do you look for in a daycare, specifically home daycare?

 What are the reasons you decide to pick that childcare provider?

 Any feedback would be appreciated!

Thanks

https://www.littlefootprintstx.webs.com

CareBear01

I have not looked at your website, but when a friend asked me if she should open a home daycare, these were some of the things I listed for questions for her that moms would ask.  Hope this helps.

 

Are you trained in infant CPR and emergency care/First Aid?

Are you going to be a listed daycare home with Department of Family Protective Services?  (Some good information is here: https://www.dfps.state.tx.us/child_care/search_texas_child_care/faq.asp#Q23)  I don?t know if it?s required, but might be something someone asks you (if you don?t know the family you are watching, personally).
What is the min and max children you will have and what ages? 

What are the hours and cost? 
Will the rates be weekly, monthly, daily, hourly? 
Will you have cheaper costs if they pay for a certain timeframe upfront? 
Are deductions offered for periods of absence (picked up early that day, or not needed for the full week)?
Will you offer part time options?
Will there be a late charge if the pick up is late (not scheduled)?

What sanitary practices will you follow to prevent illness?

Will you wash the baby?s hands after every diaper change?

Will toys/play station be disinfected at the end of every day?

What will be your rules on sick kids?  Will you call a parent to pick up a child if they have a fever over XX.X degrees?  If they are vomiting?

Will you require a doctor?s note to administer medicine (if needed)?
Will you keep every child?s vaccination lists on file and up to date?
What is your holiday and vacation schedule and how much in advance will you tell them you will be off?  Will you have someone to substitute while you are away, or will you shut down completely?
How will you handle your sick days.  Will you have a substitute in place?  How many hours in advance will your contact each family (at least 24?).  Will that day be comped for the families?
Who will provide diapers/wipes/food, etc.?
Who will provide bibs, burpcloths, spoons, blankets, sippy cups, etc.
Will the bottles need to be premade, or will they make them?  Do you want food to be pre-mashed, or will you prepare it?
If you have any breastfed babies getting frozen milk, how will you prevent cross-contamination during the defrosting process?
Will you allow back up frozen breastmilk bags to be stored in your freezer (properly labeled)?
Will you required everything from each child to be labeled (bottles, sippies, blankets)
Will you teach sign language? (this is becoming popular nowadays)

Will you provide all of the toys, or have the children bring their own (labeled?)?

Where will the nap times be?  Will everyone have their own separate crib or pack-n-play?   Will you require the families to bring their own pack-n-play if you will not have cribs set up? 

If you provide the cribs, will you wash all sheets daily?  Weekly?

Will you allow swaddling for naptime?