Why aren't in-home providers getting calls anymore? Is everyone having that problem? It seems like locally, everyone is down in numbers. It's scary.

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I was just saying this to my dh .
Very frustrating to see all the ads on craigslist for un-lic / un-registered people offering child care . Some even more than what I charge .

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This is typically a very slow time of year for calls. Hoping you get some soon.

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It's feast or famine...

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Do you live near a military base? If so, you can reach out their FCC Director & request to become on of their off post providers. You’ll be able to receive referrals through the base. A lot of military families need childcare. Many CDCs are full.

I hope the calls pick up for you.

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Hang in there. You'll get some calls in May or June.

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I feel like this as well.

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Been like that here for years...ever since the housing collapse fiasco.

Also, I am retiring in June and so was looking at possible centers for my grandson (I will watch him part time maybe). I look at their inspection reports that are posted online here. On each report is listed the capacity for the center and how many children were there the day of inspection. It is not uncommon to see capacity 300, attendance 150. Now 150 children couldn't be absent.

Laurel

P.S. My monitor said the number of homes she had to inspect when she started compared to now is cut in half.

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I am getting no calls at all. Out of desperation I added a summer morning play date for 4 kids 2 1/2 to 3 yrs old. Filled it the first day BUT its 3 hrs 3 days a week. And a fraction of what I get for dc. I really need two ft dcks to keep paying my rent. Before I opened, I saved enough for the first years rent, but at end of August, I am in trouble w/ out at least two more. I am a go getter but nothing is getting it done.

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I am at least 30 minutes from the closest base . Not sure if that is too far but it is worth looking into . Thanks .

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It is opposite here for quality home daycares. I wish I could take more Kids but I'm full.

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Same here...feast or famine!

I really need to fill 2 spots!

I'll be more comfortable after I fill one, but need 2.

I did receive a few calls, but none led to interview. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the next call will fill a spot!

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I want to term a brother & sister 3 & 5 yrs old that I have now as the 5 yr old has been giving me some issues. I have had these kids for over a yr now and he still is having issues. Was seriously considering terming soon, but thought about if for a few days. I can handle these kids fine, it is just that his behavior gets to me sometimes and I am from the old school days where you listen to your parents, your teachers and behave at daycare.
The reason I am not terming at this moment IS because it is so hard to find new children. Sometimes it has taken me up to almost a yr to find new kids, so I figure I have and can handle and put up with these two kids for awhile yet and start looking to replace them come summer.I just hate the thought of having to go through finding another child right now. Also I have become really attached to these two kids, even tho the behavioral issues are still there.
But you are all right, it does take awhile to get new kids these days and it gets really frustrating when you need to fill a spot and your getting no calls.
Hopefully come May or June it will pick up for everyone and you can fill your spots.

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30 minutes isn’t too far at all from a military installation. A lot of DOD and military personnel commute!

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This is exactly what I was just saying! I am either down or getting people calling me!! Right now is a feast for me so I am grateful!

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It has been so slow here. Slightly worries me since kids are going to kinder.

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It's been fruitful here. I have been getting a call or e-mail almost every day, but this is one of the busy times. It seems like there's a flood at the start of a year, at out-of-school-soon time, then at back-to-school time. Like another poster said, it's feast or famine. I remember dry spells and one time a high turnover of all but 2 DCFs. Those were scary and uncertain times. I really hope yours doesn't last long!

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It was pretty dead from Aug to Dec then as soon as Jan hit I get calls or emails every week. I've added 1 PT & 1 FT but still need to fill one more FT spot. I almost had it filled but mom decided to stay home with her baby instead. I had 2 interviews this week but both cancelled, found other arrangements. I have another 1 day only interview Mon and a FT interview the next week.

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Same here and the calls keep coming in! I keep telling dh that I should open a small center..lol
There was a 4 month period of time when I couldn't fill abspot,; but that drought is over.

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Day cares in my zipcode alone have closed. Two years ago I did a search and there were 17 now there is 9, Group and Family combined. I do see a LOT of SAHM and unlicensed advertising for 1/2 of what I charge and I just lowered my rate to 2004 rates. I have curriculum, meals, experience, etc... but parents want cut rate care. I am not getting the calls and my licensing rep says it's all over Michigan.

I am open extended hours and weekends, after school transportation, doing everything to get more kids. Just not happening. I have seen many ups and downs in this business in the 40+ years in the field but have never had it this bad.

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I have never received that many calls & I've been opened 2 years (although admittedly I do not have a website, facebook account, etc., but I am on the state's referral site & local childcare association site).

It's total feast or famine here, but all the calls I get are for infants, and I'm at capacity for infants (or it's for sibling sets that include an infant).

I'm in a weird area, not many daycares where I am, but 2 miles down the road, in a much larger "city", there are tons of daycares.

But right now I am not complaining. I would like just 1 more child & I would be happy. Or all my children can leave, I'll learn to weave & will start selling my spectacular original rugs online. I wish.

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A lot of people here switch over to group centers here about age two because they want the kids to go to school. The providers are called "teachers", but I've had experience with a number of the centers and from my experience these centers are not the greatest. All I can think is "This is all the further child care has progressed in the last 20 years?"

This is just my experience working in a number of group centers here.....and it ain't pretty!

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Its like that here every other sahm has decided to watch kids....unlicensed and prob over ratio. So frustrated right now. And I'm losing 1 in April and 1 in may. Everyone wants childcare for nothing!! One of the reasons I became certified is the state told me they refer des children to us but in the yr I've been open I havnt gotten one!!! Errrr I've been upset all evening I might have to go back to work uggg

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Sorry, but I have not been experiencing this. I'm where I need to be right now and still get calls weekly. I have a 1yo that's leaving in the summer because they are moving (military) and DCMs SIL tried to enroll recently but I have no room. So she's going to squeeze in when DCB moves out. I also have some preschoolers that should have aged out this summer but their parents want to have them continue coming after kindy for the same rate ... alrighty then. For me this means that I can look for 2 more DCKs to take morning slots and essentially be paid twice for the spot, I'm thinking about whether to do that or enjoy an easier day.

So sorry some of you are experiencing dry spells. I know things are rough in other parts of the country.

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the minute i got full i started getting at least 6 calls a week. It is crazy

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One of my neighbor friends who is on the neighborhood "Mommy Board" on FB has noticed a lot of sahm's starting to do in home daycare lately. At one time, there were about 5 in home daycares on my street alone (and those are only the ones that I know of). There are some moms quitting jobs to stay home with their kids who have been starting in home daycares, too. I think the slow economy has contributed to this, too. I have a friend who lost her job who is now doing in home care instead of going back into the work force.

Most of these are unlicensed. Ohio allows us to watch up to 6 children in out homes so it is easy to start as a business without going through licensing.

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That is the way it is here, too. Parents in this area looking at in home care don't even ask about licensing. It isn't on their radar and they definitely would not want to pay more for it.

Just a note though, unlicensed care is not necessarily bad or over ratio care. I did care legally unlicensed for years in my home. The kids got excellent care and seemed to love me, I paid my taxes, and the parents all seemed happy with me. I was allowed by law to care for 6 kids but I rarely took more than 3 at a time. I preferred a lower ratio. My home was totally safe....I see danger everywhere, possibly even more than the state.

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I get nothing and it sucks!!! By me it just seems everyone is a SAHP. I really wish I could live on just my DH's income but I can't. I've done this for 13 years and every time a kid leaves I panic but it usually works out - the last 6 months or so have been the toughest. I'm taking on more babies than I would like just to make ends meet.

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In my state you can only care for one family at a time without a license. I see moms posting on our FB groups all the time and finally someone got irritated and asked if she's licensed. She said our R&R said she could watch 1 child but I pointed out she needs to be fingerprinted and background checked to comply with state laws and should have her CPR license at the very least. She got all snooty and took her posts down. Someone else posted that she watches kids for her friends and I pointed out that more than one family is against the law. Mostly single moms trying to make some extra money but they don't realize that's not what this job is! LOL

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Not sure if I read it wrong, I apologize if I did, but for licence-exempt child care you can take care of 1 family's children at a time (in your own home) and it doesn't matter how many children they have or you can take care of children that are related to you and as long as they are all related to you it doesn't matter how many children you take care of. You don't need a license in these situation and you don't need to be finger-printed, background checked or CPR certified. The state licensing regulations don't apply at all.

Once you add even one child from a 2nd family and you're already watching another family's children or if you watch relatives children and you add even one friend's child (or another family's child) then you HAVE to get a license and go through all of the licensing requirements.

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I was told back in 2010 that all providers of care to children (church nurseries, gym nurseries, volunteers over 18, etc.) have to have a background check done. I had already had it done so it didn't effect me, but my job at the time paid for everyone to get Trustlined. I was sent Trustline papers by my church nursery as well. I was told this was a new law and applied to all providers. If you're hired through an agency or paid by the state or an alternate payment program you are required to be Trustlined by law as of 2008 but I was Trustlined back in 2006 by an alternate pmt program. Nannies who are completely private paid, private hire should be for their clients safety but I don't know that there is recourse as the parents are taking this risk.

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