Product Description
Because parents must work outside the home, there will always be a demand for childcare. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 64 percent of married-couple families, both husband and wife work outside the home. There are nearly 12 million children under the age of five in child care each week in the United States. With concerns about quality child care, the trend is to move away from large operations and turn to the small services located close by work or home. This increase in small day care operations creates a huge opportunity for someone who loves children and wants to create a business dedicated to taking care of them. A child care service makes an ideal home based or part-time business. Start-up costs are low. You do not need an office. You do not need any costly special equipment. All you need to get started is an approved facility and a desire to succeed. Here is the manual you need to be successful in this highly profitable segment of the service industry.

CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.5 based on 10 reviews)

Comprehensive and well-organized by Debbie Lammers (Hartland, Michigan United States)

5 Stars
July 28, 2009
This book does a fantastic job of outlining in a very concise and organized manner the way in which to go about starting a child care center. Whether you are considering taking in a few children in your home, or opening a large commercial center with many children, this book arms you with the information you need to get started. I was impressed with the detail she gives in every aspect of the business. For example: hiring employees. She outlines things to cover during the interview, policies to have in place to protect you as an employer, tips to keep employees happy and motivated, employee relations suggestions, etc. You want ideas to market your new Child Care Center? Look no further! There are endless, creative ideas right here - from parades, to Halloween goodie bags, OB/GYN handouts, etc. There are instructions on where to get the toys you need, how to organize them, and finally, how to clean them. You will learn how much you should charge for how many kids, for which services and for how many hours. Did you want before or after care? All your questions are answered here. Children's issues are covered, also, such as allergies, sicknesses, biting, EPI pen usage, abuse, neglect, etc. I highly recommend this book to anyone considering starting a child care center, or even placing a child in one - that way, you know what to look for in a good one!

Resourceful Book that will make you Successful by LaDonna J. Beeker

5 Stars
May 22, 2009
Wonderful resource book for anyone beginning or wanting to get into the child care service. The author breaks everything down into detail from getting started, where to go, hiring a staff and choosing the children who receive care; just to name a few of the book's qualities. This book is one that is great for the beginning child care entrepreneur or the already business woman who just needs to touch up her child care facility/policy. In addition, the author adds in case studies from various child care owners in the United States, which gives another point of view to the reader, as well as reinforcing what the author just mentioned in that particular chapter. This book will last a lifetime in the child care business as a resource for those wanting to be successful.

What You Need to Know by BertieB (Illinois)

4 Stars
October 20, 2008
Tina Musial's How to Open & Operate a Financially Successful Child Care Service takes the overwhelming task of starting a daycare and breaks it down into the basics. It covers many aspects of owning and operating a daycare - from federal and local regulations to decisions about caring for children with disabilities to which services to offer to how to be an employer - that many individuals may not otherwise consider until they are immersed in the running of a child care service. How to Open & Operate a Financially Successful Child Care Service starts at the beginning - from reasons why many individuals choose to start a daycare - to the continued development and accreditation of an established child care service and provides pros and cons for many of the options. Musial includes case studies with individuals who have been there, done that, in order to provide further prospective, as well as offering practical, no nonsense advice on how to make a child care service a save and positive experience for the children, staff, parents, and owner.

A Great Guide! by Lenzi Hart (Lubbock, TX)

5 Stars
June 26, 2008
It's no wonder that the shortage of childcare facilities increases everyday. The red tape and unforeseen complications involved with opening and operating a daycare center turn away potential owners time and time again. However, there is hope for anyone determined enough to open their own daycare. Tina Musial is your beacon of hope as the author of How to Open & Operate a Financially Successful Childcare Service. This comprehensive how-to guide breaks down the complexities of day care ownership into simple and manageable steps, which most any one can implement. From the very first chapter, Musial presents information that every potential child care owner should know, but didn't know who to ask for it. She covers the various standards and requirements child care centers must meet, and explains the proper paperwork that must be filed in order to do so. Many of the start-up steps she details are items that most would have NO CLUE needed to be completed in order to start a child care facility. Musial's attention to detail ensures that readers will be thoroughly informed of what to expect during the opening procedures. Each aspect of obtaining ownership and opening a child care facility is covered in simplistic detail, but Tina Musial doesn't end her book after owners have opened their daycare doors. She further outlines essential knowledge needed to run a successful center well after opening day. From suggestions concerning what to charge patrons, what to feed the kiddos, and how to compete with both the fancy and low-cost daycares, Musial offers practical advice for every headache that owners could possibly encounter. For anyone who has a dream of owning and effectively running a child care facility, Tina Musial's guide should be the daily handbook that you turn to for answers. This book receives five out of five stars for its amazing attention to detail, and its simplistic style and outline. How to Open & Operate a Financially Successful Childcare Service is a must-have for wannabe daycare owners!

A Truly Comprehensive Guide by V. E. A. Mason (Woodbridge, VA USA)

5 Stars
March 31, 2008
Tina Musial's guide to opening and operating your own childcare center is a concise work. Everything you need to know from common sense ideas to the bare bones that each center, large or small, consists of is all in this easy to read book. Broken down into three parts Musial shares her expertise and wisdom compiled from many years in the industry with her readers. This book is full of information. What I liked most about this book was how Musial forces the reader to ask questions about why they want to open a childcare center, what type of personality they are and why that is important and determines what size center you should strive to operate. Each section has a clearly laid out set of pros and cons, samples of letters, real life scenarios, forms and more. There are checklists, examples of budgets and loads of reference information per state. Musial does not gloss over any of the aspects of owning and operating a childcare center. She forces the reader to take control of each avenue and path they will walk down as they being their journey and create his or her own business. From how to interview staff and families, to increasing pay and raising rates this book has it all. It makes an excellent reference guide for those just starting out and those already in the business. The Appendix alone with its state-by-state references is worth the price of the book. If you are thinking of opening your own childcare center or simply need a refresher course or new ideas for a childcare center you already own then look no further than this book.

SIMILAR PRODUCTS

	The Business of Child Care: Management and Financial Strategies by Gail H Jack (Author) CHILD CARE ADMINISTRATORS AND EARLY CHILD CARE PROFESSIONALS will greatly value the business skills detailed in the Business of Child Care: Management and Financial Strategies. With the particular focus on managing enrollment, recruiting and retaining staff, budgeting, financial record keeping, and decision making, this book details the critical business elements needed to run a child care center as a financially stable enterprise. The reader will learn how to successfully complete business...
	Family Child Care Contracts and Policies, Third Edition: How to Be Businesslike in a Caring Profession (Redleaf Press Business Series) by Tom Copeland JD (Author) The completely revised and expanded version of this best-selling business classic gives home-based child care providers the most updated tools needed to establish and enforce contracts and policies, build trust between provider and parent, and demonstrate provider professionalism. This new edition includes a CD-ROM with customizable worksheets and forms for creating a policy handbook and contracts designed specifically for your business.
	Opening & Operating A Successful Child Care Center by Dorothy June Sciarra (Author), Anne Dorsey (Author) PERFECT FOR CHILD CARE ADMINISTRATORS AND PROFESSIONALS ALIKE this is an ideal resource for anyone working in the child care industry. With a focus on positive relationships and interactions, this book provides all of the information professionals need to open and operate a successful child care center. Includes how to incorporate computer technology into business, new information on health and nutrition issues, and an expanded section on parent involvement.
	Family Child Care Record-Keeping Guide: 7th Edition (Redleaf Business Series) by Tom Copeland JD (Author) The bestselling Family Child Care Record-Keeping Guide, 7th Edition is a must-have for family child care providers. With over 1,000 allowable updated tax deductions indexed alphabetically, this helpful resource has even more valuable information for keeping your business records and saving money on taxes. New sections address the sale of a home and the new IRS ruling that allows family child care providers to use a standard meal allowance rate to claim food expenses.
	Start Your Own Child-Care Service (Start Your Own …) by Jacquelyn Lynn (Author) Get Paid to Care for Kids! Do you enjoy working with children? Would you like to help lighten the load on busy moms and dads? With more and more parents needing help to care for their children, the market for child-care services is exploding. Whether you want to start a family-style child-care center in your home, a large center at a commercial site or a niche business like child transportation, this guide can help you get started. Business experts...