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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Do You Refer Parents To Other Providers?
GotKids 08:33 AM 08-31-2011
I am full but get 2-3 calls a day from my google listing. Parents always ask me when I tell them I am full if I have anyone I would refer them to. I don't know about you guys but my job keeps me pretty busy and we don't do field trips so my only contact with other providers is here. I thought about replying to some CL ads and telling them I am provider looking to find other providers to send kids to when I am full, does that sound creepy?

Would you feel comfortable meeting another provider from CL and letting them see your program so they could send you referrals?
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youretooloud 08:38 AM 08-31-2011
Only if I know the person, and I would leave my own child there. If I wouldn't leave my own kids there, I don't refer.
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GotKids 08:39 AM 08-31-2011
how do you find these people though. I guess that is the real question. I agree I don't want to give referrals out to people who I wouldn't trust.
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sharlan 08:42 AM 08-31-2011
I would be very reluctant to give a referal on someone I don't know. I would give them the number for the local CCR&R, though.

The parents can check the Craig's Lists ads on their own.
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Unregistered 08:46 AM 08-31-2011
I think there are many advantages to networking, I have 6 women dcp in my immediate community and we refer back and fourth to each other. It has helped to keep us full, and the parents appreciate that we can help place them. I had a family that needed longer hours because of schedule changes so I set them up with one of the ladies, and I recently picked up a family from another gal who needed to cut back because she had a baby.
Not only that we all call each other when there is a bad parent that skips out, or other problem parents, that way no one else picks up the bad apple. I would try it.
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laundrymom 09:35 AM 08-31-2011
I send them to my r&r
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Sugar Magnolia 09:45 AM 08-31-2011
I don't mean to be a Debbie Downer, but I tried something like this. I am a center and do not do infants. I was looking for a home provider that did infants that I could refer people to because I also get lots of calls for infant care. I was also looking for a home provider that would, in turn, refer older kids to me when they "aged out" or wanted/needed a preschool program. I THOUGHT it was a good idea, made 3 phone calls and was treated very rudely. One woman hung up on me mid-sentence. One woman was overtly hostile and one was mildly nice but cold and disinterested. If you try this, be prepared for the worst and don't take it personally. Generally, people are competitive and that's ok. I get it. I got their contact info from our local referal service. Fiasco. Disheartening.
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Sugar Magnolia 09:49 AM 08-31-2011
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
I think there are many advantages to networking, I have 6 women dcp in my immediate community and we refer back and fourth to each other. It has helped to keep us full, and the parents appreciate that we can help place them. I had a family that needed longer hours because of schedule changes so I set them up with one of the ladies, and I recently picked up a family from another gal who needed to cut back because she had a baby.
Not only that we all call each other when there is a bad parent that skips out, or other problem parents, that way no one else picks up the bad apple. I would try it.
See...that's the way it SHOULD be! That's so great! Wish I had your network here
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Crazy8 10:20 AM 08-31-2011
nope. I will refer them to CCR&R. I had a provider once tell me that we are not allowed to refer to each other - that we have to refer to CCR&R. But she was very competitive and didn't want anyone in town to know there was a single other home daycare besides her.
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MarinaVanessa 10:26 AM 08-31-2011
Originally Posted by GotKids:
how do you find these people though. I guess that is the real question. I agree I don't want to give referrals out to people who I wouldn't trust.
Yep, networking is great. I joined my local childcare association and take trainings through my local resource and refferal service. I meet childcare providers there all of the time so I always ask them info about their programs. I met a few and always keep a list of their info on hand along with what ages they accept. If I don't have any infant openings for example but I know someone that does I'll refer them to her and vise versa. I don't do school-agers so I refer them to another that I know that specializes in that range. I go as far as to list a daycare on my webpage that does school-age care. It's all about meeting some of them and networking. I always meet providers when I do my CPR recertification too. Don't be shy, but get to know them first OR make sure you let the parent know that you don't know how they run their program.
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e.j. 10:42 AM 08-31-2011
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
I think there are many advantages to networking, I have 6 women dcp in my immediate community and we refer back and fourth to each other. It has helped to keep us full, and the parents appreciate that we can help place them.
I agree. When I lived in another town, 2 of my neighbors also ran home day care businesses. We used to refer parents to each other all the time and as a result, we were all full most of the time.

I'm in a town now where I don't know a lot of other day care providers personally but I keep a list of names and phone #s and give them out to parents who call when I can't accommodate them.
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e.j. 10:47 AM 08-31-2011
Originally Posted by Sugar Magnolia:
I don't mean to be a Debbie Downer, but I tried something like this. I am a center and do not do infants. I was looking for a home provider that did infants that I could refer people to because I also get lots of calls for infant care. I was also looking for a home provider that would, in turn, refer older kids to me when they "aged out" or wanted/needed a preschool program. I THOUGHT it was a good idea, made 3 phone calls and was treated very rudely. One woman hung up on me mid-sentence. One woman was overtly hostile and one was mildly nice but cold and disinterested. If you try this, be prepared for the worst and don't take it personally. Generally, people are competitive and that's ok. I get it. I got their contact info from our local referal service. Fiasco. Disheartening.
It's too bad you got this reaction from the providers you called. It could have been a win/win situation for all of you.

There's a preschool center in town that takes older kids. They've refered several families to me who had younger children they wouldn't take. While I tend to keep my kids until they're ready for kindergarten, I'd happily pass on the center's name to any parent who asked for the name of a good preschool.
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mismatchedsocks 10:49 AM 08-31-2011
Here, I dont know anyone comfortable enough that I would refer. If something goes wrong I dont want it to refect on me. I do give them the local resource and referral number.
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Sugar Magnolia 12:36 PM 08-31-2011
Originally Posted by e.j.:
It's too bad you got this reaction from the providers you called. It could have been a win/win situation for all of you.

There's a preschool center in town that takes older kids. They've refered several families to me who had younger children they wouldn't take. While I tend to keep my kids until they're ready for kindergarten, I'd happily pass on the center's name to any parent who asked for the name of a good preschool.
Yeah I agree! Its too bad...I was kind of suprised by the reactions....could have been win/win....I was even offering $100 referal bonus.... Now I just tell infant-seekers to call CCC&R.
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daycare 12:40 PM 08-31-2011
When I am full, I give the number to R&R this way I am at least sending them some where they can get references of other daycare providers in the area.

I don't personally know of anyone who does daycare and I would fee strange if I was to refer them to a person I did not know....
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e.j. 01:39 PM 08-31-2011
Originally Posted by lilrugrats:
Here, I dont know anyone comfortable enough that I would refer. If something goes wrong I dont want it to refect on me. I do give them the local resource and referral number.
When I refer parents to somone I don't know well, I explain that I can't give a recommendation because I don't know anything about the provider or the way she runs her business but I can give them the name and phone number so they can call to set up an interview so they can determine if she's what they're looking for.

Originally Posted by Sugar Magnolia:
Yeah I agree! Its too bad...I was kind of suprised by the reactions....could have been win/win....I was even offering $100 referal bonus.... Now I just tell infant-seekers to call CCC&R.
Too bad you're not closer to me. I'd be happy to earn that bonus just for sending someone your way!
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Michelle 01:52 PM 08-31-2011
One time I referred a mom to someone I knew very well in fact she used to watch my kids when we went out at night.
Well, she told this mom she was a terrible mother and that she should put her child up for adoption for the child's sake! (just because she was a young single mother that happened to work in a bar)
I couldn't believe it!
I really trusted her, so I don't refer any more.
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TBird 02:55 PM 08-31-2011
I have about 3 other providers that I do this with. One works out really well because she does drop-in-care only. If she goes on vacation and I have spots open, I'll take her regular drop-ins for her. And if I have a parent that doesn't need full time care and only wants to "pay-as-they-go" I send them over to her.

BTW, I did meet her on Craigslist (just asking each other about our services) but we vowed to actually MEET and get to KNOW each other before we started any referrals.
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Abigail 10:16 PM 08-31-2011
Instead of using CL to target daycare providers who are not full.....everyone's dreams come true, lol, I would target ALL providers and create a Provider Support Group. You can meet a few times a year or even monthly and if you found the right people you could create an association. I've met a few people from our local association and I would definitely refer families to them if I couldn't help them. I would hope they would do the same for me too!

Personally, I woudn't place an ad on CL to help providers get full. You're going to want to be known for good things and these parents will talk word of mouth if you ever referred them to someone you thought provided quality care, but didn't. I would only refer people I personally knew without the first meeting be "I'll help you get full".
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snbauser 04:24 AM 09-01-2011
Yes. That is part of networking. We have a family child care association here that I am a member of. I have some providers that I know fairly well and others that I only know from the meetings. I tell parents that I know these providers but that they need to meet and interview with them and make their own decision. I also have another provider who specialized in infants and toddlers that I work closely with as she lives nearby and I do not take infants or toddlers.
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rbmom 04:42 AM 09-01-2011
I live in a small town so I network with several providers that I do refer parents to if I can not take their children. They do the same for me also. Works well here!
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MsMe 06:38 AM 09-01-2011
I am full with all the waiting list I can handle so I refer to CCR&R.

I have a provider friend that would always say "well why didn't you give them my name?" I don't feel comfertable refering her program...although I like her as a fiend. So now I just never mention when I get calls. I think anyone I refer would reflect on me and I can't risk that.

If they are new to town I also direct them to read the local papers 'reader' ads they always have a few ads. Problem with that is it is ALWAYS the same three ladies. I have not had a day without call in years....There HAS to be something wrong with these home if they have an ads for years. I just hope the parents have good interviewing skills and I tell them I don't know other providers personaly.
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Unregistered 11:18 AM 09-01-2011
Originally Posted by Abigail:
Instead of using CL to target daycare providers who are not full.....everyone's dreams come true, lol, I would target ALL providers and create a Provider Support Group. You can meet a few times a year or even monthly and if you found the right people you could create an association. I've met a few people from our local association and I would definitely refer families to them if I couldn't help them. I would hope they would do the same for me too!

Personally, I wouldn't place an ad on CL to help providers get full. You're going to want to be known for good things and these parents will talk word of mouth if you ever referred them to someone you thought provided quality care, but didn't. I would only refer people I personally knew without the first meeting be "I'll help you get full".

If that did happen you wouldn't know solely based on a parents word, You're only going to know if you sat with her throughout the day during her daycare hours.

I give them numbers, but let them know that is on them as to who they pick and like.
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Unregistered 07:43 AM 09-02-2011
If you have a local FCC Association, most have referral lists of members that are providers with openings. When I get calls and am full, I forward the monthly open to list. The R and R is another good resource. I always feel better when I can give them a name or two.
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