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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>POLL: How Has The Economy Affected Your Enrollment Numbers?
zosim 10:58 AM 09-09-2009
Hi guys,

Our numbers were lower than usual over the summer and we were hoping that we will ramp up our numbers at the beginning of the school year. Well, it's still been slow, and this hasn't really happened to us for several years now. I was just wondering if you are also feeling the pain. Please enter your state and township location, whether you're a home care or a child care facility, your capacity and your current enrollment.

Location ___ Type___ Capacity____ Current
Edison, NJ ___Facility ___66 _________42



Thanks!
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mac60 05:16 PM 09-09-2009
Great Lakes States

Yes, economy has affected enrollment.

Our county has the highest unemployment rate in our state.
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GretasLittleFriends 08:24 PM 09-09-2009
I'm in MN, I'm a family care and have 9 of 10 slots filled. I've only been licensed for about 6 months, so I can't compare this economy to others. I think I'm doing ok. They're not all full time, so I could be doing better, but from the sounds of it, things could be worse.
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AmandasFCC 08:27 PM 09-09-2009
I'm in BC, Canada ... I don't have any source for comparison as I just opened in April, BUT I can tell you this: I was searching for daycare for my daughter last October and couldn't find any. Now, of a possible 6 spaces in my family child care, I only have 2 full time spaces filled.
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laundryduchess@yahoo.com 02:59 AM 09-10-2009
Im in Indiana and have 8 of 10 slots filled. I have two on my waiting list ( I only like to take 8 at a time) So I could very easily be at my lic capacity at any moment. I think Im busier now than ever(20 yrs) . I have my +3 school age slots filled as well.
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mac60 08:50 AM 09-10-2009
Good for you. You must be in a "good" part of the state, as I know LaGrange and Elekart Counties, and where ever Goshen is, are really bad areas of unemployment due to the RV industry/trailers/camping rv's closing up.
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laundryduchess@yahoo.com 09:15 AM 09-10-2009
no Mac 60,.. its horrific here as far as unemployment. we were at 19.2% in June, not sure what it is now. Elkhart is bad,.. but we are worse I believe. Gee what a claim to fame,.. =-( My own DH was laid off in Jan with a promise of a return position when things picked up. and we waited 12 weeks before we realized either he found a job or we seperated. lol. He is just in the way here, lol Unemployment checks or not he took a 5 dollar an hour pay cut from his prev job,.. is making less than he did on unemployment,.. but is out of the house and that makes a happy marriage. But a few years ago when local factories cut their pay,.. I started accepting recession safer families. Dentist, Pediatrician, nurses, etc,... Ive got that family base now. Not one full time factory family. And,... people WILL go back to work. This country is stronger than the current economy. The American spirit is strong and proud in Central Indiana. We will have to readjust, the days of getting out of highschool, getting on at a local factory making 18-30 dollars an hour are over. as it should be. Right along with no doc home loans and the body I had in highschool. but I promise, we will get through this. One day at a time,... sometimes one hour at a time. It is preprogrammed into the human race to survive. and that is what we do. Maybe not the same ways, in the same habits,.. but we will get through.
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mac60 01:14 PM 09-10-2009
Sorry to hear your hubby was laid off. I have hospital/medical center families, and have been pretty safe so far, although 1 family is very iffy right now. I am glad for you that you are full. Northern Indiana I know is bad. I sure hope things start picking up all around.
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Chickenhauler 03:35 AM 09-12-2009
Originally Posted by mac60:
Sorry to hear your hubby was laid off. I have hospital/medical center families, and have been pretty safe so far, although 1 family is very iffy right now. I am glad for you that you are full. Northern Indiana I know is bad. I sure hope things start picking up all around.
I just came across I-80 on the toll road, it seemed like every one of those RV/Trailer manufacturer's that were booming just a few years ago was in mothballs today!
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mac60 10:15 AM 09-12-2009
Yep, Indiana got hit really bad. Our county,,,,,automotive suppliers is what did it here. It is really scarry in my county. I count my blessing every day I still have a job.
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BabyMomma 10:29 PM 08-21-2011
Originally Posted by laundryduchess@yahoo.com:
and the body I had in highschool.
Amen to that sister! I'm still looking for mine (lol)!
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newtodaycare22 04:52 AM 08-22-2011
I'm in a DC suburb and many of my parents are government workers, so the unemployment rate isnt really high here.

I opened last August and started off with 2 full time. It took until November to get 5 and January to get 6....now I've stayed at 6 since then. (Licensed for 8 but I only take 6).
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harperluu 06:15 AM 08-22-2011
I'm in Dakota County, MN. I feel like the recession weeded out the less quality child care providers that were doing it on the cheap because they couldn't keep their numbers up. A couple of years ago, I had a hard time finding clients and all I heard was how cheap/no vacation/no holiday the 5 other providers were they interviewed, eventhough my rate fell within the average for the city I lived according to the county survey.

There are a lot less licensed providers now than when I started 7 years ago, and it's easier to find clients. In late Oct. I will have all 10 of my spots filled two days a week. Typically I like to be at 6-8 kids per day, but several of my drop-in families switched to a more permanent enrollment.
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MommyMuffin 06:43 AM 08-22-2011
Originally Posted by harperluu:
I'm in Dakota County, MN. I feel like the recession weeded out the less quality child care providers that were doing it on the cheap because they couldn't keep their numbers up. A couple of years ago, I had a hard time finding clients and all I heard was how cheap/no vacation/no holiday the 5 other providers were they interviewed, eventhough my rate fell within the average for the city I lived according to the county survey.

There are a lot less licensed providers now than when I started 7 years ago, and it's easier to find clients. In late Oct. I will have all 10 of my spots filled two days a week. Typically I like to be at 6-8 kids per day, but several of my drop-in families switched to a more permanent enrollment.
Thats awesome! I'm also in Dakota county and I have 5 of 8 spots filled. I've been advertising and not getting anything.
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Childminder 07:10 AM 08-22-2011
I am in Michigan and the economy has definitely had an impact on my daycare. I read some report for the state recently and there are almost 200,000 more slots for children than children in need of care. Daycares are closing and I have been running about 2/3 capacity for about 3 years.
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sharlan 08:06 AM 08-22-2011
I've had a hard time trying to fill spots. The schools are killing us for SA as they charge $35 a week for after school care. Some of the preK's are free.

All of the local churches have preschools.

The few calls I've had were lookey Lous wanting prices.
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Tags:2009, economy, enrollment, old thread, poll
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