If you're thinking of starting a daycare service, one of the first steps is to assess the need for childcare services in your local community. You can do this in a number of ways, from talking with nearby families to analyzing census demographic data. You can begin your evaluation by connecting with families in your local community about their childcare requirements and characteristics they would look for in a childcare business. This may be done by meeting with families, creating a questionnaire which people can complete via mail, or through administering a telephone survey.
Another great way to assess the need for childcare in your community is to research local census information for your town or city. You can look at demographic data like number of families with kids ages 0-6 years, number of recent weddings, and the geographic concentration of families. This information can be obtained by contacting your local town or city hall, or the U.S. Census Bureau. You should also be able to find the information online via the U.S. Census Bureau's website.You can use the census info to evaluate the current need for childcare in your community, as well as envision whether the necessity for childcare will increase in the next few months or years.
A crucial step in this evaluation process is getting in touch with your local childcare resource and referral agency to help in identifying existing daycare companies in your town or city. You can then learn some more about the competition, and what types of services and care they're providing to families locally. You will have to develop a original strategy for your own day care service, such as offering more flexible hours, providing services for different age groups, or creating an after-school childcare service for older kids.
Before you contact your local child care resource and referral agency, draft a list of questions you want to ask about day care services in your neighborhood. These can include questions about hours, types of care, ages of kids in care, services competitors provide, and the number of daycare centers that are in close proximity to your location.
It is important for you to determine the needs for childcare services in your town or city prior to establishing your childcare service. This is going to help you to set a number of definite objectives for your business plan, and get a jump start on your competitors through providing niche services.
Another great way to assess the need for childcare in your community is to research local census information for your town or city. You can look at demographic data like number of families with kids ages 0-6 years, number of recent weddings, and the geographic concentration of families. This information can be obtained by contacting your local town or city hall, or the U.S. Census Bureau. You should also be able to find the information online via the U.S. Census Bureau's website.You can use the census info to evaluate the current need for childcare in your community, as well as envision whether the necessity for childcare will increase in the next few months or years.
A crucial step in this evaluation process is getting in touch with your local childcare resource and referral agency to help in identifying existing daycare companies in your town or city. You can then learn some more about the competition, and what types of services and care they're providing to families locally. You will have to develop a original strategy for your own day care service, such as offering more flexible hours, providing services for different age groups, or creating an after-school childcare service for older kids.
Before you contact your local child care resource and referral agency, draft a list of questions you want to ask about day care services in your neighborhood. These can include questions about hours, types of care, ages of kids in care, services competitors provide, and the number of daycare centers that are in close proximity to your location.
It is important for you to determine the needs for childcare services in your town or city prior to establishing your childcare service. This is going to help you to set a number of definite objectives for your business plan, and get a jump start on your competitors through providing niche services.
About the Author:
Jennifer Dilwortz is a writer for Childcare Training Info, the most comprehensive childcare training resource on the web. This piece of writing on assessing community needs for day care is part of our series on starting up a childcare business.
