Financial Resources

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Accreditation and Credentials

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In-Service Training

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Starting a Child
Care Business

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Business Resources

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Online Forms

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Community Child Care Connection, Inc. 1004 North Milton Avenue Springfield, IL 62702-4430 Directions Local: (217) 525-2805 Toll Free: 1-800-676-2805 Fax: (217) 525-5859 Office Hours:
M: T: W: Th: F:	9:00 AM to 4:30PM 8:00 AM to 4:30PM 8:00 AM to 4:30PM 8:00 AM to 6:30PM 8:00 AM to 4:30PM

Opening a Child Care Center Business

Downloadable Files
	Illinois Child Care Manual for Center-based Programs
	Illinois Child Care: Developing Community Programs

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Running a child care center is first and foremost running a very busy small business. But it's much more than that -- it's making a commitment to be a vital part of the holistic development of other families' children. The successful child care manager wears many hats: early childhood educator, business manager, fiscal administrator, safety and health officer, and building architect, among others. We understand that you'll have your hands full with each of these big jobs. Here's a guide through some of the necessary steps in starting and running a center.

Understanding the Community

Download the Illinois Child Care Developing Community Programs manual which provides communities numerous human and fiscal resources available to help communities meet the child care challenge. This resource is excellent for employers, chamber of commerce and organizations.

Determining Need

The first step in starting a new center is learning if there is need in the community for child care. First, find out what types of child care are currently available in your community, by talking with us, as well as town or city government offices, or the state licensing office. Informally, you can check your local Yellow Pages, parents' newspapers, and other publications for advertisements that will give you an idea of how many centers are already in business.

When gathering this information, you should focus on:

Total number of centers in the community, and ages of children being offered care
Hours offered by other centers, whether early morning or evening care is offered, and availability of part-time or flexible care
Whether centers have waiting lists or a lot of vacancies
Location of available centers

Community Demographics

You can get a good overview of your community from talking with us, by looking at recent census data, and/or by surveying local parents. Demographic information can help you estimate the number of working families with young children in the community, where they live, and their likely income and child care tuition payments.

Community Child Care Connection provides basic supply and demand data available by county free of charge.

Options in a Competitive Environment

If you discover that other centers have many vacancies -- or, conversely, are experiencing difficulty in hiring qualified staff -- you may then revise your business plan to address the competitive environment.

Some options to differentiate your program include:

Providing care in a different community with higher demand and lower supply (where centers have a low vacancy rate)
Providing non-traditional hours of care not offered by other centers (e.g., evening/weekend care, or overnight care)
Providing higher quality care and paying higher wages than other centers (e.g., hiring well-educated, experienced staff)
Offering a type of program or service not previously offered in the community (e.g., a Montessori or school-age care program, or mildly-ill child care)

Business Issues

Every center needs to pay close attention to the business of child care, even if the center is run as a nonprofit. Good management is essential to maintaining the center's viability over time and continuing to offer quality care.

Facilities and Equipment

One of your primary concerns in starting a program will be determining the location, size, and type of space you need. Things to think about when looking for a space include child care needs of the local community; zoning, Americans with Disabilities Act regulations, fire and health department regulations, parking needs, and licensing requirements.

One of the first places to start is DCFS Licensing. You may request a copy of the Center Licensing Standards. These standards will answer many of your questions regarding space, child ratios and staff qualifications. Call the regional office at 217-786-6830 to request a copy of the standards or review them online at http://www.state.il.us/dcfs.