New Provider Vent

[Nurse Jackie]

I am in the process of getting my license and trying to find out the average cost of home daycare in my area. This task has been the hardest thing ever. I took a couple classes and brought up the subject of pricing and how to find out the going rate in the area and everyone started looking up at the ceiling. Then I decided to call the resource and referral number in my area and the lady told me they don't give the prices but they could give me the number to providers in my area and I would have to contact them personally to find out. I contacted 2 via email through their website and honestly told them that I was in the process of opening a daycare and would they mind giving me the average price of daycare in the area. 1 totally ignored my email and the other one responded with a long email then at the end of the email told me to contact the county office of education. So I contacted the county office of education and guess what they told me to do? call the resource and referral number so I could get the number to local providers in my area and ask them. So then I took a different approach and called a few providers pretending to be a parent and majority had a waiting list and the others wanted me to come in for an interview. This is the problem I'm having if you have a full roster why would you have a problem telling me the average prices its not like Im taking any business from you? Sorry for the long vent

[NightOwl]

I feel your pain. Where are you located? It varies widely by area.

[Shell]

I had a similar experience. Some people see you as competition- no matter how long their wait lists are, and aren't willing to help.

I searched craigslist, which I knew would be low, to get an idea of how much cheap care is. Then I contacted a friend that's closer to our nicest city and she gladly gave me prices, since I wasn't her competition. I used that as the high end price.

Dh had a friend in town that had a child that attended a home daycare. That friend told us what he was paying, and I just put my rates a little higher.

If you don't know anyone, maybe try contacting providers in other areas that will be higher/lower due to cost of living.

I found once I was in the game a little longer, and made some provider friends, they didn't mind sharing the info. I found a few friends through CPR/ first Aid locally. Hth!

[rosieteddy]

Why not try googling the cost of childcare in your area.Or maybe call a local childcare center and ask their rates and figure your from there.Is there a support group for local providers?Join and ask there. Someone you know must have a child in care that you could ask maybe. If nothing works go for what you want to earn.I always was on the higher side ,but was full.You never know.Good luck.

[AmyKidsCo]

Call around and pretend to be a parent, then ask rates.

It's completely legal; calling as a provider is illegal, but it's OK to pretend to be a parent.

I align my fees with local daycare center prices. Our church daycare and preschool posts tuition on their website. I'm in the Kansas City area and am raising my rates this fall to between $35-40 per day depending on number of days the child will be attending per week.

I google my state average and found reports that helped. I'm right in the middle. Also check out what the department of human services pays for assistance. For instance in Oregon the state pays $3/hour for all age groups.

[Nurse Jackie]

I didn't grow up in this area so I don't have any friends locally. The friends I have or my husband have are/have stay at home moms like myself and we all have SA children I want infant- preschool age. The two classes I took recently (cpr/preventative health) were not useful because I asked and no one answered there, however I did get useful information from the teacher in other topics. I tried to join daycare provider groups in my area on Facebook but so far no one has accepted my request. Didn't take it personally because I figured maybe no one post in the group often. I think I will set a price to what I think it should be and see if I get a few bites the problem is I don't wan't to price myself to high but at the same time I don't want to be too low to where Im not making a profit. I did google prices in my area and I didn't get any help there and the ads in craigslist and the penny saver doesn't list a price

[Nurse Jackie]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I align my fees with local daycare center prices. Our church daycare and preschool posts tuition on their website. I'm in the Kansas City area and am raising my rates this fall to between $35-40 per day depending on number of days the child will be attending per week.

I haven't tried calling centers yet so Ill take you up on that

[Thriftylady]

Well I can tell you the going rate for an infant in my rural area of Ohio seems to be $20-$25 a day. But that is low compared to a lot of places I know.

[mamamanda]

I called around & just told them my dh & I are trying to decide if it would be worth it financially for me to go back to work. They shared rates w/o me having to go to an interview

[Nurse Jackie]

Thank you... I hv gotten more help from you guys then in the month I've been researching on my own. I truly appreciate the replies

[Nurse Jackie]

Originally Posted by mamamanda

I called around & just told them my dh & I are trying to decide if it would be worth it financially for me to go back to work. They shared rates w/o me having to go to an interview

never thought of that good idea

[daycare]

What the heck. Rates are public information. What county are you in?? I can help you find the rates.

[NightOwl]

Youcould also search for a family home childcare providers association in your area. We have one here and it's a valuable resource. It's run by providers and they have a monthly meeting that counts towards training hours. They also send prospective clients back and forth to each other when one is full and another isn't.

[Nurse Jackie]

Originally Posted by daycare

What the heck. Rates are public information. What county are you in?? I can help you find the rates.

Riverside county

[Nurse Jackie]

Originally Posted by NessaRose

Youcould also search for a family home childcare providers association in your area. We have one here and it's a valuable resource. It's run by providers and they have a monthly meeting that counts towards training hours. They also send prospective clients back and forth to each other when one is full and another isn't.

Do I just google providers association

[Thriftylady]

Originally Posted by girlwitrims

Do I just google providers association

or child care association or any other search terms you can think of maybe add your county to the search. Here we have something called 4C, but it comes up if you google around.

[daycare]

http://www3.cde.ca.gov/rcscc/index.aspx

Try this site.

[daycare]

http://www3.cde.ca.gov/rcscc/index.aspx


Here

[Nurse Jackie]

Originally Posted by daycare

http://www3.cde.ca.gov/rcscc/index.aspx

Try this site.

Wow thank you so much.

[daycare]

Trying to post info from phone. Sorry

[daycare]

From what I can see it say 36$ a day. That is the highest rate that government will pay for your area.

If you have a preschool program I would go for that highest rate. If you are a baby sitting service I would lower it a few dollars a day.

When starting out new you may find you need to offer competive rates and each year have a annual price increase.

Hope this Helps

[Nurse Jackie]

Originally Posted by daycare

From what I can see it say 36$ a day. That is the highest rate that government will pay for your area.

If you have a preschool program I would go for that highest rate. If you are a baby sitting service I would lower it a few dollars a day.

When starting out new you may find you need to offer competive rates and each year have a annual price increase.

Hope this Helps

It really does help... side note I got my fingerprint results back today now I can send off my lic9217 form for my inspection

[daycare]

Congrats. Sounds like your well on your way. Also if you can start taking ECE classes. The state is going to be enforcing a new program in a few years that will require more education on our part.

Good luck. Stay on this site and you will do great

[Nurse Jackie]

Originally Posted by daycare

Congrats. Sounds like your well on your way. Also if you can start taking ECE classes. The state is going to be enforcing a new program in a few years that will require more education on our part.

Good luck. Stay on this site and you will do great

Thank you, I will I haven't really posted a lot but I go through the threads and man have I learned so much already. Not looking forward to dealing with crazy parents though

[daycare]

Originally Posted by girlwitrims

Thank you, I will I haven't really posted a lot but I go through the threads and man have I learned so much already. Not looking forward to dealing with crazy parents though

Honestly parents are the hardest thing to conquer for most

All I can say is stand your ground be firm and accept you can't and wont please everyone.

Always due what is best for your business over all not just one family.

Learn quick come back lines for the parents like when they ask can you open 2 hours early or stay an hour later. You respond with let me get back to you on that. Then you have time to think if you really want to do it or not and if not have time to figure out how to professionally say sorry that is not a service I can provide.

Building a backbone takes time and patience. If I can do it anyone can.

[Thriftylady]

Originally Posted by daycare

Honestly parents are the hardest thing to conquer for most

All I can say is stand your ground be firm and accept you can't and wont please everyone.

Always due what is best for your business over all not just one family.

Learn quick come back lines for the parents like when they ask can you open 2 hours early or stay an hour later. You respond with let me get back to you on that. Then you have time to think if you really want to do it or not and if not have time to figure out how to professionally say sorry that is not a service I can provide.

Building a backbone takes time and patience. If I can do it anyone can.

Listen to her LOL. She is helping me grow my backbone!

[Nurse Jackie]

Originally Posted by Thriftylady

Listen to her LOL. She is helping me grow my backbone!

I believe u...I've read her response on other threads can tell she really knows what she's talking about

[ashleyh]

In my state the DHS site publishes the rate information if they take state pay. That could be of help.

[Thriftylady]

Oh and I HIGHLY suggest reading Nannyde's book. It has done wonders for me, and I plan to read it again just in case I missed something.

[nannyde]

Originally Posted by Thriftylady

Oh and I HIGHLY suggest reading Nannyde's book. It has done wonders for me, and I plan to read it again just in case I missed something.

That's what I'm sayin!

Op

Call the centers within a couple of miles of your location. Ask for infant, two year, and prek full time rates. Multiply it by .75 and you will get the high end home daycare price in your area.

If they are $200 a week the high end home care will be around $150

[MyAngels]

I didn't read all the responses so sorry if this repeats, but it's actually illegal for providers to discuss rates among themselves, so the other providers weren't being rude or unhelpful.

This is Tom Copeland's article on it: http://www.tomcopelandblog.com/2011/...are-rates.html

My CCRRN will give the average rates for the area which can be a starting point.

Most centers in my area post fees on their websites. That's quick and easy. Also, talk to parents who have children in care. That would be helpful.

[Nurse Jackie]

Originally Posted by MyAngels

I didn't read all the responses so sorry if this repeats, but it's actually illegal for providers to discuss rates among themselves, so the other providers weren't being rude or unhelpful.

This is Tom Copeland's article on it: http://www.tomcopelandblog.com/2011/...are-rates.html

My CCRRN will give the average rates for the area which can be a starting point.

I noticed someone else posted it was illegal to call and ask provider to provider whats the rates if this is true why would r&r give me a list of other providers to call and ask their rates. I guess you learn something new everyday. Im glad I came across this forum

[Baby lady]

Where in California are you?
Rates vary greatly by area, and even by neighborhood.