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Parents and Guardians Forum>Why Do Daycare Centers Not Have 2nd Shift?
LuckyOnes 05:11 PM 08-15-2008
I am a little confused. I have been doing a search for daycares since this is now my only option since my family isn't available to care for my child. But I have noticed that where I live in NC there aren't any daycare centers that provide a real second shift (3pm to 11pm). Why is this? The only daycare service I can find are in-home daycares that are very dirty and unprofessional and 1 church daycare that is in an awful neighborhood. I am unable to change my work hours due to me having classes in the morning.
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pingaa3 05:30 PM 08-27-2008
Because most really good daycares open between 6am and 7 am and close around 6-7pm. That is when the majority of parents need childcare, so that's when most providers are open.

After a 12 hour shift do you want to keep working until 4-5 more hours? Most in home providers have families and young children themselves. It's hard to find that kind of provider who is not burnt out and asleep by 11pm. I know I'm out by 10pm minimum and 9pm on a day that is really active and rough.
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lilbiddapopcorn 11:03 PM 08-29-2008
I offer the second shift but i'm starting to rethink it. I've only gotten one client who needs care for her children that late. Most parents are off by then or have family who's off by then that can watch them for free. And after running around all day, it's nice to have some time off.
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MelissaB 07:04 AM 01-23-2009
My husband and I started a child care business last August with the premise of offering second/third shift care. We were very excited and still are.

However, we've had a lot less interest then we had thought there would be. We have one child who comes and her mom is a nurse. We had a parent who worked third shift for awhile but she ran into money problems and even with state assistance couldn't afford child care anymore so now her family is helping her out. I think that factors in too.

When people look at okay so here is after hours care costs or here is seeing if I can get family to help out. They go towards family. Especially since a lot of family would be available at night since a large group work during the day and those who work at night or some work a retail/fast food job make only minimum wage and that means not much money to be able to afford child care. Its a crazy situation.

We're still offering second and third shift but have just recently opened up to saying we'll take daytime too. However, we're going to limit how many daytime children we take on. Because as someone else mentioned we have a family and don't want to "work" 24 hours a day. We run our child care out of our home and are keeping it small. Thankfully our current after hours child is part time so that will help if we take on days.

I'm sure the economy is also a factor. We had our rates a little higher since well our orignial thought if you work a second/third shift job in a factory you get paid a bit more so in turn care woudl be a bit more. However, we changed that quickly and went back to matching up with the average of the local daytime care around here.

Just wanted to offer what I had found as well. We're in Michigan.
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Unregistered 03:04 AM 06-28-2011
Originally Posted by pingaa3:
Because most really good daycares open between 6am and 7 am and close around 6-7pm. That is when the majority of parents need childcare, so that's when most providers are open.

After a 12 hour shift do you want to keep working until 4-5 more hours? Most in home providers have families and young children themselves. It's hard to find that kind of provider who is not burnt out and asleep by 11pm. I know I'm out by 10pm minimum and 9pm on a day that is really active and rough.
Why not get a second shift team at the center? I do not think the parent is expecting one worker to care for the kids for twelve or more hours, that would require another person taking over to relieve the day shift worker.
Some parents have special needs children and have to work an alternate schedule to take care of their kids, or for the employer to accomodate their needs.
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jen 06:14 AM 06-28-2011
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
Why not get a second shift team at the center? I do not think the parent is expecting one worker to care for the kids for twelve or more hours, that would require another person taking over to relieve the day shift worker.
Some parents have special needs children and have to work an alternate schedule to take care of their kids, or for the employer to accomodate their needs.
I think what the poster was saying is that many IN HOME providers don't offer second shift because they have already worked a 12 hour day and centers don't usually offer it because there isn't enough interest to make it profitable.

Try contact your local Child Care Resource and Referral, they may be able to point you in the right direction.
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Unregistered 10:03 AM 04-20-2012
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
Why not get a second shift team at the center? I do not think the parent is expecting one worker to care for the kids for twelve or more hours, that would require another person taking over to relieve the day shift worker.
Some parents have special needs children and have to work an alternate schedule to take care of their kids, or for the employer to accomodate their needs.
I agree. I live in northern VT and there is NOTHING in my area for 2nd shift child care. It's crazy! Parents work all different hours, so just because most parents work 9-5, I can't work because my job requires me to be there from 1pm to 8pm.
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itlw8 02:11 PM 04-22-2012
if you are in large city you may find something near a hospital
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Ariana 03:41 PM 04-22-2012
In my city of about 1 million people there are only two 24 hour care centres. Thats shows how low the demand is for this type of care. I also heard that staff turnover for the night shift is extremely high which would worry me as a parent.

I think you should keep looking for a home daycare that you like.
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gg_fan22 03:19 PM 06-15-2012
Originally Posted by pingaa3:
Because most really good daycares open between 6am and 7 am and close around 6-7pm. That is when the majority of parents need childcare, so that's when most providers are open.

After a 12 hour shift do you want to keep working until 4-5 more hours? Most in home providers have families and young children themselves. It's hard to find that kind of provider who is not burnt out and asleep by 11pm. I know I'm out by 10pm minimum and 9pm on a day that is really active and rough.
It's a shame though. We need 2nd shift childcare centers though. That is what I am going to school for. I am going to school for Early Childhood Education, and if I need to business. I want to open up my own childcare center for first and 2nd shift parents. I grew up in a home with a dad who worked literally 20 hours a day so, I know how it feels to be passed from babysitter to babysitter. My Grandma would watch us during the day but, she couldn't watch us @ night so in the brief window of time that he had before leaving to start his other job he would drop us off at home and then call whatever sitter he could get.
If there were more second shift childcare centers I don't think it would've been so hectic for him or a lot of the other parents who have try and find babysitters so they can go to work. Even that at times is frustrating because not many of them are really reliable.
Me I get up when my alarm gets me up. I do not go to bed until like midnight and then if I have to get up early I set my alarm. I think I have insomnia, I can't fall asleep unless I read or make myself tired.
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SeanMc123 04:50 PM 10-04-2017
There have been some really inconsiderate and ignorant posts in here. Reasonable responses would be nice with regards to anyone who may work later hours at their employer (or may have to be in earlier than the average employee.) If you know anything about the multiple facets of businesses and the demands they have put on their work force, you'd know that many fields of industry are requiring employees to come in as early as 6AM, they are requiring employees to stay longer than a normal 8 hour shift, and they are opening up later shifts such as a 2nd or 3rd shift to meet their production needs. Now regardless of what I have heard "Some daycares can't handle the costs," "people should hire someone to take care of their kids".... no. If you are going to open a daycare, you open it to meet the demands of your entire community's work demands or you don't open one up. If you only have one customer/two customers per 2nd or 3rd shift, you keep one person on to accomodate those who are striving to keep our economy flowing and so hard working individuals can get the child care they need. Just like the customers who work later shifts, the daycares should employ staff to work later shifts. It may not be the intention, but it is inadvertently discriminate of those who don't work a 'typical' 9-5 shift.
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MarinaVanessa 08:48 AM 10-05-2017
Originally Posted by SeanMc123:
There have been some really inconsiderate and ignorant posts in here. Reasonable responses would be nice with regards to anyone who may work later hours at their employer (or may have to be in earlier than the average employee.) If you know anything about the multiple facets of businesses and the demands they have put on their work force, you'd know that many fields of industry are requiring employees to come in as early as 6AM, they are requiring employees to stay longer than a normal 8 hour shift, and they are opening up later shifts such as a 2nd or 3rd shift to meet their production needs. Now regardless of what I have heard "Some daycares can't handle the costs," "people should hire someone to take care of their kids".... no. If you are going to open a daycare, you open it to meet the demands of your entire community's work demands or you don't open one up. If you only have one customer/two customers per 2nd or 3rd shift, you keep one person on to accomodate those who are striving to keep our economy flowing and so hard working individuals can get the child care they need. Just like the customers who work later shifts, the daycares should employ staff to work later shifts. It may not be the intention, but it is inadvertently discriminate of those who don't work a 'typical' 9-5 shift.

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Snowmom 09:01 AM 10-05-2017
Oye.

If that's the case, I'm going to write McDonald's to say that if they aren't going to offer low-calorie vegetarian foods to satisfy my needs, then they shouldn't have opened up a business at all.

And while I'm on the subject, Hobby Lobby too... because I work Monday-Saturday and they close on Sunday, which is the only day I have to patron their establishment. How dare they! That's discriminatory.

Come on.

It's your choice to work in the industry you chose to work. YOU need to make it work for you and your family. It's not other people's job to make sure YOU have childcare. It's YOUR job. If there are no childcare options for the hours you need... then there ya go... a perfect opportunity for you to open up a new business. According to you, it should be profitable and it's a need that hasn't been met in your area!
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amberrose3dg 09:02 AM 10-05-2017
How would you like to work more than 12 hours a day? I am open 6am to 5pm. I have clean up and all that needs to be done after everyone leaves. I would be concerned about level of care you are receiving from a provider that is open that long without a break. Large centers it doesn't make sense to pay staff to stay for one or two kids. That is a big expense. Most parents have friends, family or a babysitter in the evenings.I know in the 2 years I've been open I have only received two calls for late care. One wanted 7 days a week 12 hour days for like a 100 bucks a week and I believe that was for more than one kid The other only wanted Fridays but wanted care until like 1am.We all need down time to be the best providers we can be!
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Cat Herder 09:26 AM 10-05-2017
Originally Posted by SeanMc123:
There have been some really inconsiderate and ignorant posts in here. Reasonable responses would be nice with regards to anyone who may work later hours at their employer (or may have to be in earlier than the average employee.) If you know anything about the multiple facets of businesses and the demands they have put on their work force, you'd know that many fields of industry are requiring employees to come in as early as 6AM, they are requiring employees to stay longer than a normal 8 hour shift, and they are opening up later shifts such as a 2nd or 3rd shift to meet their production needs. Now regardless of what I have heard "Some daycares can't handle the costs," "people should hire someone to take care of their kids".... no. If you are going to open a daycare, you open it to meet the demands of your entire community's work demands or you don't open one up. If you only have one customer/two customers per 2nd or 3rd shift, you keep one person on to accomodate those who are striving to keep our economy flowing and so hard working individuals can get the child care they need. Just like the customers who work later shifts, the daycares should employ staff to work later shifts. It may not be the intention, but it is inadvertently discriminate of those who don't work a 'typical' 9-5 shift.
You are messing with us, right. You cannot be serious.
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Mom2Two 10:02 AM 10-05-2017
Originally Posted by Cat Herder:
You are messing with us, right. You cannot be serious.
So true. But it's so bad that it's funny.

I want to let medical providers know that they shouldn't charge extra for after hours care. I work so hard to support the economy, and it would be way better for me to have evening care at the same price.


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Kaddidle Care 07:30 AM 06-28-2011
Originally Posted by LuckyOnes:
I am a little confused. I have been doing a search for daycares since this is now my only option since my family isn't available to care for my child. But I have noticed that where I live in NC there aren't any daycare centers that provide a real second shift (3pm to 11pm). Why is this? The only daycare service I can find are in-home daycares that are very dirty and unprofessional and 1 church daycare that is in an awful neighborhood. I am unable to change my work hours due to me having classes in the morning.
Have you considered hiring someone to watch your child in your own home? That way the child can be put to bed at a normal hour. I'm trying to figure out when YOU get a chance to sleep.
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nannyde 08:45 AM 06-28-2011
There's no money in it and it's a very unstable population of clients and workers. You can make money but it's a lot of work to get the RIGHT clients to make money.

There's a lot of issues of blending day shift into evening shift.... meaning clients needing both day hours and evening hours.

Lots of issues with clients when they are off of work still bringing the child and then going out... then not returning at the right time.

Parents want kids up until they get there however late that may be.

And on and on...

It's a tough shift. I did it for about fourteen years and had to really be very picky about who I took to make it work.

I did an early bedtime and charged additional fees for the earlier afternoon arrivals.
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cheerfuldom 11:52 AM 06-28-2011
yes it is a really hard shift and plus, a lot of centers don't even offer it or only offer it if the demand can cover the overhead plus profit. Staying open for one kid is not even going to pay the worker let alone the extra electric bill, etc. It seems so easy for a parent to say "why can't someone do this for me?" but the bottom line is that daycare IS a business. It does not make business sense to offer a service that is not profitable.
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Unregistered 03:48 PM 06-28-2011
I can't say that I've ever even heard of a center that does 2nd shift. I would think that there would be too many problems with it. Besides, who would want to work at a daycare center with 2nd shift hours?

I'm a home provider and I only do 1st shift. I used to do 3rd shift, too, but between those 2 shifts, I had very little time for myself and my family.

OP, you would be better off trying to find someone to come to your place and provide care. I just don't think that you'll find a center to meet those needs.
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Childminder 04:28 PM 06-28-2011
I used to be open 24/7, only occasionally had call for 3rd shirt so I am only open for first and second now. I'm here anyway and the kids are in bed by 8ish or they don't come. There are very few of us that are open whether it's a center or family home. Like nanny said the group of people that work 2nd aren't as stable as we would like and personally they are the ones I am traditionally taking to court for payment. Second shift is usually bar waitstaff or some one that works retail and doesn't have a regular shift each and every week.

Definitely call your local Child Care Resource and Referral, they should have a data base for you to find hours you need. Not all homes are 'dirty and unprofessional' and all centers aren't perfect either. Maybe you could try craigslist or contact your church. Some little old lady might just love to watch your little one for a few extra bucks. Good luck.
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Unregistered 11:58 PM 06-25-2019
I live in a military town where service members and contractors all have to do shift work. I am a contractor with a toddler, and I have to rely on family members to help me with her care, but they are not always available. Last year, I was on 2nd shift frequently, my employer would not budge, so I had to send her to stay with my sister and her family for 3 months at a time, since shift rotations last that long. when I got on Days shift this year, my employer gave me a Wednesday to Saturday schedule. What will I do for Saturday, day cares are only only Monday - Friday. Here I was again, struggling to find help so I could stay connected with my daughter, and to not have to send her away while I constantly call out every saturday, and can potentially lose my job. I want to start an overnight day care facility that operates from 6pm to 6am. I feel like I would benefit more by helping struggling military families, and contractors here, if I do this. I need guidance. Can someone tell me how to start my business? It is a community necessity at this point, since single parents keep quitting their positions for the same reason - no child care. Also, many of them got out of the military after being stationed here, and decided to start there families here, but are stuck without help for overnight care. I'm going to create a survey and send it out to my local community to validate this. I believe I could help service members and contractors get relief with an overnight child care facility.
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Snowmom 12:15 PM 06-26-2019
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
I live in a military town where service members and contractors all have to do shift work. I am a contractor with a toddler, and I have to rely on family members to help me with her care, but they are not always available. Last year, I was on 2nd shift frequently, my employer would not budge, so I had to send her to stay with my sister and her family for 3 months at a time, since shift rotations last that long. when I got on Days shift this year, my employer gave me a Wednesday to Saturday schedule. What will I do for Saturday, day cares are only only Monday - Friday. Here I was again, struggling to find help so I could stay connected with my daughter, and to not have to send her away while I constantly call out every saturday, and can potentially lose my job. I want to start an overnight day care facility that operates from 6pm to 6am. I feel like I would benefit more by helping struggling military families, and contractors here, if I do this. I need guidance. Can someone tell me how to start my business? It is a community necessity at this point, since single parents keep quitting their positions for the same reason - no child care. Also, many of them got out of the military after being stationed here, and decided to start there families here, but are stuck without help for overnight care. I'm going to create a survey and send it out to my local community to validate this. I believe I could help service members and contractors get relief with an overnight child care facility.
Go for it.
Check with your state's requirements & licensing agency. They should be able to direct you to the proper resources. You can also see the links located on daycare.com's main page. Quick link: https://www.daycare.com/states.html

Just be aware, many states require a provider to be awake during daycare hours. Not sure that would solve your problem with being able to raise your toddler since you'd be awake all night doing overnight care.
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Cat Herder 01:11 PM 06-26-2019
Originally Posted by Snowmom:
Just be aware, many states require a provider to be awake during daycare hours. Not sure that would solve your problem with being able to raise your toddler since you'd be awake all night doing overnight care.
That and most parents expect to pay the same rate as 1st shift care or less "since they will be sleeping, anyway". Nighttime sleep requirements are much more stringent and expensive, too. (own bed required here if overnight, not mats or cots). You will get inspected more often, too, as you will be rare.
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springv 03:23 PM 06-26-2019
We are opened from 6am until 6pm and are a licensed center
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Tags:2008, 2nd shift, child advocate, parent - its a verb, parental life choices, planning for future, preparing children for school, sleep issues - parents
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