Starting a Child Care Business

Child Care Entry Level Classes are needed to become a family child care provider and to start your own child care business.

Family Connections is currently NOT offering child care entry level courses and we are in the process of restructuring them.  Please contact us by phone for the names of other agencies that offer the courses, or come back and visit our website for more updates.

Need to purchase child care-related books for a class or your professional development? We are offering the following books for sale. Give us a call to purchase one today!

• Creative Curriculum for Family Child Care, by Diane Trister Dodge & Laura Colker, ISBN# 978-0-9602892-7-1. $34.00
• Creative Curriculum for Preschool, by Diane Trister Dodge, Laura Colker, and Cate Heroman, ISBN# 978-1-879537-43-9. $46.00
• Family Child Care Contracts & Policies, Third Edition, by Tom Copeland, ISBN# 1-929610-79-3. $20.00

We also have WI State Licensing books available for purchase. These are published by the Department of Children and Families (DCF) and are a necessary and valuable resource when starting up a child care business.

• DCF 250 Family Licensing Book $15.00
• DCF 251 Group Licensing book $15.00
• Family Licensing Inquiry Packet (includes book) $25.00
• Group Licensing Inquiry Packet (includes book) $25.00

Not sure if becoming a child care provider is the right decision for you?

Your Question: Should you become a Family Child Care Provider?

• Do you enjoy spending time with children?
• Do you have patience and self-control?
• Do you communicate well with parents?
• Can you accept the major responsibility of taking other people's children in your home?
• Are you friendly, warm, understanding and affectionate?
• Can your family share its home and possessions with others?
• Do you like to provide challenging activities for children?
• Can you provide adequate toys and furniture for the children?
• Does your home provide plenty of hazard-free space, indoors and out, for children?

Answers

Family child care providers who make the most money and are in demand in their communities...

• prepare their homes as inviting places for children.
• pay attention to business matters (such as setting policies and following them).
• seek out training and professional development opportunities.
• follow the state regulations to the best of their abilities.
• are serious about their work.

Is there a need for child care in your community?

Family Connections has information to help you determine the needs in your community. Your county social/human service agency may also have information about the demand for child care in your neighborhood.

For whom should you provide care?

Possibilities include infants, toddlers, children under seven, and school-aged children. You might want to consider carefully how many infants and toddlers you will take if you have children of your own and want to continue to take them to activities (especially summer activities).

How many children can you take?

The maximum size of a group of children in certified care is 6. The provider's natural, adopted, and foster children age 7 and older are not counted in the maximum. If there are 4 or more children under the age of 7 unrelated to the provider, the provider must be licensed. The number of children under age 2 may place further limitations on the group size.

A licensed provider can care for up to 8 children, provider's children under the age of 7 must be included. There will be a limit on the number of children under age 2 in your child care.

A certified provider can care for children up to 16 hours a day.

A licensed provider may care for children up to 12 hours a day.

Training and regulation: why do you need it?

• High quality child care is a goal in Wisconsin.
• The caregiver may reduce liability risks to his/herself by following rules and standards.
• Many parents prefer regulated care knowing that training and monitoring takes place.
• Wisconsin families receiving public funding are only permitted to use regulated care.
• You will be eligible for: Food Program reimbursement, certain income tax benefits, and local and state grants and loans. Family Connections will provide information regarding the Food Program and availability of grants and loans.

As a certified or licensed provider you will be put in our data base for child care referrals. When parents call us looking for care we fill out a form which is then matched up to child care options available. It is up to you to keep Family Connections updated with your openings and any changes in your program. Being in our data base also entitles you to a newsletter, trainings, and networking opportunities. Grant and loan information will be mailed to you as it becomes available.

Questions or concerns? Please call us at (920) 457-1999 or 1-800-322-2046 or email us at sarahm@familyconnectionscc.org!