I remember seeing some members here say their daycare is a house other than where they live. Just had a couple of questions:

Are you classified as a center, home daycare, or group home daycare?

Are you licensed different than a typical home daycare?

Are you there the whole time you are open, or are assistants on their own at times? Who handles opening/ closing?

Thanks

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I think BC does this. I'm bumping it so she'll see your thread. Maybe it's sugar that does it also?

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Rules vary a lot by state, so unless the answer is coming from someone in yours, it may not apply. As an example (that doesn't apply to you) In California you have to be living in the home to be a 'family child care home' otherwise it would have to be considered a center, and the regulations would be different.

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Same as above for Texas. You have to be living in the home for it to be considered a home daycare otherwise it's considered a center.

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Same in illinois. You have to be resident in the home for it to be licensed as a home daycare. Although, I know of several home daycares that advertise two and even three or four locations. Not sure how they get away with it though

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There's one around me that does that. She owns one, her mother owns one& her sister (I think or cousin) owns the 3rd. The original owner handles all the paperwork & licensing said it was okay because each one has it's own owner.

And agreed - In illinois you have to live in the home.

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But does each 'owner' live in the house? There's one round here that is proudly telling potential parents that no one lives in the house so everything is dedicated to daycare space but they are licensed as a home daycare. I have to admit I get a little frustrated by people who flaunt the rules so blatantly

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I own a completely separate house for my daycare.

Its a 2 br 1 bath house on a corner lot in a residential area.

I was licensed as family child care but am now group family care but that change has to do with ratios not whether I live in the house or not.

I get to work (7 miles from my home) around 6:30 and my first arrival is 6:50. Gives me time to make coffee and set up centers/activities for the day.

My last kid leaves at 5:00 and I tidy up and leave by 5:15-5:30 at the latest.

I work alone and do not have a hired assistant or helper.

My DH works at our home where he has a cabinet shop but comes in everyday about 11:30 and helps with lunch or does maintenace tasks and then once the kids are down for nap we have lunch together. He usually heads home by 1:30 and I close out the day by myself.

HTH

If you have any other questions just let me know, I'd be happy to help.

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I am in MN and its perfectly legal here.

There are 3-4 providers in my town (pop 10,000) that operate the same way I do.

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Oh, then it's not the same one from around here. They each live in their townhouse. It's just all grouped as number 1,2 & 3. Unless licensing has changed, what they are doing is illegal in Illinois.

The house next to us is vacant and I asked licensing if I could use that house and he said nope.

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I know one provider that lives in her 'family childcare home' during the week, and then goes to another home with her adult son on the weekend.... So she lives there the majority of the time 4-5 nights a week (her adult son gets privacy during the week), and the day care home counts as her primary residence.... but a lot of her 'things' are at her weekend home. That's the only way to sort of have a separate residence for these rules in California.

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A former center co-worker of mine is thinking about buying the house next door to theirs and turning it into a daycare (their area really needs one). We were talking about small center vs. group home pros and cons & I couldn't remember Illinois regs.

Thanks

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If operating as family child care is not an option, I would definitely consider operating as a small center.

If you are looking for advice in that regard, Sugar Magnolia would be our gal.

She and her DH own a 100 yr old house in which they run their small family owned center.

She is always helpful and would be a great source of info for you. :

HTH

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I actually own a duplex and I live in one side and I wanted to turn the other side into a daycare (the tenant just left) but I was told that since I don't live there it would have to be classifier as a center.

I called to see if it was possible to do but the county said a center has to be on commercial property not residential but I am still trying to get the details behind this. This is in Texas. Good luck!

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Is there any way to punch a hole through the walls separating the space so that you can walk back and forth? Maybe if it was "open" to the next home you could count it?
And then you could do a nice set of pocket doors for evenings and weekends

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Center. Yes, very different regs than being licensed for home daycare.
Yes, we are always here, husband and I are the owner/operators, assistants only assist.

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