Daycare.com Forum
New Members - Welcome to the Daycare.com Forum!>Starting a Daycare in Orange County, CA
lilysmama 12:59 PM 02-17-2012
Hello everyone! My name is Emily. I am currently unemployed but am working on getting my daycare license so that I can work and stay home with my beautiful 1 year old daughter. My mother did daycare when I was growing up and I have extensive experience with taking care of children through helping my mom and through taking care of other peoples children. I would love any advice anyone could give me on things to do to start a daycare. My biggest question right now is how to find housing in the area that would allow me to run a daycare out of my home. I am unable to do it from my in-laws house. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Blackcat31 01:06 PM 02-17-2012
Welcome to the forum! 
There are many providers from California on this site so hopefully one of them can answer your questions.
There are many providers from California on this site so hopefully one of them can answer your questions.
Countrygal 01:34 PM 02-17-2012
Welcome to the forum! It's a great place for information! 
Michael 02:39 PM 02-17-2012
Welcome to the forum, I've upgraded your status.
MarinaVanessa 03:14 PM 02-17-2012
Congratulations on deciding to do daycare from home. I'm in CA (Ventura county) so I'm on the opposite side of LA county than you . As for finding a home to rent that will allow you to run a daycare ... well here's a few tips.
* I would draw up a contract and even a policy handbook to give to your clients with the rules and regs that you want. I'd throw in policies about intentional damages to the home, property or equipment and hold the client responsible.
* I would research the cost of liability insurance and get quotes. You won't be able to actually purchase the insurance until you know what home you'll be working out of and once you get your license. I purchased a rider through State Farm that's very good and inexpensive. I have homeowner's insurance however and so you may want to ask whatever insurance company you call about purchasing renter's insurance and adding a rider to it.
* Find a home that is adequate, safe and convenient for clients to get to. There must also be demand for FCC (family child care - this is what home daycare's are called). Notify the renter that you want to run a FCC from the home (if you rent licensing requires that the landlord sign a consent form). Show the landlord your contract and policies and let him have a copy of it. Also let him know that you'll be getting liability insurance. This will show that you are serious about it as a business and it'll relieve a lot of the stress that a landlord may have about renting to a daycare.
* Once you rent a home (you have to live in the home that you do daycare in) then you can get licensed. The process is a few months long and requires you to attend an orientation, fill out a long application, get TB tested, backgrount check and to take a CPR/First Aid/Safey class. You can start this step before you get a home but you can't send in the application unless you live in the home that you'll be doing daycare in.
I recommend doing the orientation first and that'll give you information about getting a license and about important regulations (Title 22). I would also read the regulations first to make sure that it's what you really want to do.
Here's the link to Community Care Licensing Division
http://ccld.ca.gov/
Here's the number that you would call to apply for a license in Orange County
(714) 703-2840
You can do the orientation online ($30). Here's the link.
http://ccld.ca.gov/PG2685.htm
You can find Title 22 (FCC regulations) here (PDF).
http://www.dss.cahwnet.gov/ord/entre...pdf/fccman.pdf
You can also legally do license eeampt childcare (meaning that you don't need to get a license) if you take care of family members kids only or if you watch the children of only one family. Good luck.
. As for finding a home to rent that will allow you to run a daycare ... well here's a few tips.* I would draw up a contract and even a policy handbook to give to your clients with the rules and regs that you want. I'd throw in policies about intentional damages to the home, property or equipment and hold the client responsible.
* I would research the cost of liability insurance and get quotes. You won't be able to actually purchase the insurance until you know what home you'll be working out of and once you get your license. I purchased a rider through State Farm that's very good and inexpensive. I have homeowner's insurance however and so you may want to ask whatever insurance company you call about purchasing renter's insurance and adding a rider to it.
* Find a home that is adequate, safe and convenient for clients to get to. There must also be demand for FCC (family child care - this is what home daycare's are called). Notify the renter that you want to run a FCC from the home (if you rent licensing requires that the landlord sign a consent form). Show the landlord your contract and policies and let him have a copy of it. Also let him know that you'll be getting liability insurance. This will show that you are serious about it as a business and it'll relieve a lot of the stress that a landlord may have about renting to a daycare.
* Once you rent a home (you have to live in the home that you do daycare in) then you can get licensed. The process is a few months long and requires you to attend an orientation, fill out a long application, get TB tested, backgrount check and to take a CPR/First Aid/Safey class. You can start this step before you get a home but you can't send in the application unless you live in the home that you'll be doing daycare in.
I recommend doing the orientation first and that'll give you information about getting a license and about important regulations (Title 22). I would also read the regulations first to make sure that it's what you really want to do.
Here's the link to Community Care Licensing Division
http://ccld.ca.gov/
Here's the number that you would call to apply for a license in Orange County
(714) 703-2840
You can do the orientation online ($30). Here's the link.
http://ccld.ca.gov/PG2685.htm
You can find Title 22 (FCC regulations) here (PDF).
http://www.dss.cahwnet.gov/ord/entre...pdf/fccman.pdf
You can also legally do license eeampt childcare (meaning that you don't need to get a license) if you take care of family members kids only or if you watch the children of only one family. Good luck.
lilysmama 03:32 PM 02-17-2012
Thanks for all the great info. I am going to orientation in March and want to get all I can done prior to moving, that way I can have everything I can done prior to moving.
For those of you who live in the area, how hard was it for you to generate a client base?
For those of you who live in the area, how hard was it for you to generate a client base?