I feel I have a pretty good program with little turnover.

Until this year anyways, I have lost 3 DCF's.

DCF 1- left after 3 months of service, they were ok- pretty random. I just found out DCK is enrolled in a center. Pretty sure they used me until the center had an infant opening.

DCF 2- left no notice.

DCF 3- very sad to see DCK go, but understand the situation.

Anyways, what is your turnover rate? And what do you do to prevent it?

What is normal turnover?

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When I first opened, I had a lot of turnover. I am not sure if it was me being a newbie or the crappy parents I took on or a combination of both.

Now I am lucky enough to say that in the last 8 or 9 years, I have had hardly zero turn over with the exception of kids aging out of my program and new babies being born into current families.

The only ones who have left without actually aging out have been two families that left due to job transfers.

I am sorry that my info isn't very helpful but honestly, I think the turn over rate is dependent on so many things such as the provider, the families you serve and the supply/demand of the market for child care in your area. Too many things to simply say you are doing soemthing right or wrong...kwim? There are just too many variables.

To avoid continual turn over, I would focus on the things you can control such as finding families that are a good fit, finding ways to be flexible but still meet your own needs and simply building a good reputation in your community...the rest is stuff you cannot control and will always be different for every provider in every area.

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I totally understand

I just want to kind of evaluate myself as a provider to make sure its not "me".

I can't control or even screen the family that I am pretty sure used me until the opening at the center became available. It just stinks.

I do know that when I do start interviewing to fill my empty spaces I am going to make sure they understand my PHB. I am bad about assuming they read/understand it.

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I found that in a larger city, people's situations tend to change quicker than if I were in a small town, therefore a higher turnover.

In my case, I lost 3 dcf's the first year (1 was due to changes in their work situation, 1 was because we were not a good fit, and 1 because they could not follow the agreed-upon policies).

I have had the same group right now for awhile (they have been with me anywhere between 7 months to 1+ year), although I am always on edge thinking that someone could leave at any point. I know my families are happy with me right now, so if they were to leave, it would be due to changes in their personal lives.

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I had sort of high turnover too at the beginning but now, it is much better as I find better families.

One kid has been here almost 3 years, another getting close to two years, the third is new. Last kid left after almost a year because parents moved. The one before left because mom decided to stay home. There was two termed during that same time period.....one for aggressive behavior and had to let a part timer go.

So all that to say, I dont let turnover rate bother me. Life changes...mine and other peoples and only about half of the turnover rate was due to me letting people go.

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I have pretty solid parents. I try to keep the good families with careers and not "jobs".

So, I tend to keep them from infancy through four years when they go to Pre-K. Some stay through Kindergarten.

But, the flighty parents tend to stay for only a short time before finding free care, or lose a job.

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I think a lot of it is cyclical too. I have been open here for 5 years and have stayed full year round with a long wait list. This year I have 5 graduating from my program to kindergarten and another 2 that are leaving for other reasons. I have filled 3 of the spots from my wait list but now have 4 more spots to fill. I have a capacity of 12 and will be running with about 6 for the summer.

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I'm actually heading into a pretty big change in the next few months.

June

1 yr old DCG joined us (sister of 4yr old DCG)

July

1 1/2 yr old DCG leaves to take the summer off with parents and I don't hold spaces.
1 yr old DCG will be joining us.

August

2 1/2 yr old DCB is leaving to go to preschool (knew this over a year ago)
1 yr old DCG will be joining us.
4 yr old DCG is leaving to go to kindergarten

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I will have 1 DCB who is staying put as is (been here since October 2011), he is also the brother of another DCB that I had until he went to preschool.

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I haven't been open a year yet, so I don't really have much to say.
We've just been adding children. We have 13 children (rotating days, 12 here at a time).

I've had 3 families leave.
1 left to spend the summer together before the child started Kinder.
1 left because I termed after 1 day.
1 left because I termed before they started care. They thought they would run my business, and that didn't work for me.

I filled all empty spaces in 2 weeks.

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When I first opened 6 years ago I had very little turn over. Then my first big hit. 3 kids left at once to go to a fancy brick building. I was able to replace them with in a month. Not much turn over until now, Im loosing my set of sibs (my only ft fam) moms work is moving, and another pt kid who I gave the option of ft but they turned it down. thank goodness I have replacements for all of them. (what are the odds)
Prevention, hope that they give the required notice so you can start advertising (which they all did) and try to have a waiting list. Always keep your name out there.
Debbie

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With state-pay families, the turn over is a little higher. Our turnover rate is pretty high though; we turn over about 50% of our families about every 9 months. The same 50% keeps turning over - the other half is long term clients. If that makes sense. The longer they've been here, the longer they're likely to stay.

The infants and toddlers turn over way more often than the preschoolers and school agers. The younger kids seem to have younger, nuttier parents and its easier to get family members, etc to keep a baby for little or nothing than older kids.

I have the preschoolers, and I'd say at least 75% age out.

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I really like to keep my numbers low so I've only had 1 family since the beginning (I've only been in business for 1 1/2 yrs!). I tried 2 boys and it didn't work out, termed after 6 weeks. I then tried a dcg and termed after 7 months. I would consider that pretty high turnover!!

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Ive been open for 3 years and I've had 2 families leave. Both families moved out of province. The first family was only with me for about 4 months but the other was for 1.5 years.

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I havent lost anyone in the last year and a half. I am picky so I think that helps.

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I have been providing daycare over 9 yrs. now. I have had 3 babies with seperation anxiety, that didn't get over it!! I have had 2 colicky babies- wow!! I have had 3 other parents leave, one for someone they found without a contract at all. The two others thought they were the bosses, and not wanting to follow my contract!!

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I've been open since Jan of 2011. Both of my families started in May 2011 and both are still here 1 year and 1 month later.

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